Wolverines are still legally trapped for fur in parts of their range. Welfare of trapped wolverines and the regulatory framework governing trapping practices raise important ethical questions.
Wolverine trapping welfare involves both the welfare of trapped individuals and the conservation implications of trapping pressure on small, fragmented populations. Live traps that hold animals while awaiting trapper arrival can cause significant stress and hypothermia exposure, particularly in animals already stressed by capture. Kill trap welfare depends on trap design — quick-kill traps with immediate strike mechanisms cause less suffering than traps with slower action. Non-target bycatch in wolverine traps causes welfare harm and mortality to non-target protected species. In the contiguous US, where wolverine populations are small and fragmented, any additional mortality from trapping is a conservation concern that compounds the welfare concerns. Advocating for wolverine listing under the Endangered Species Act would provide additional protection.