Wolverines depend on persistent spring snowpack for denning and reproduction. Climate change threatens their survival across much of their range.
Climate change represents an existential threat to wolverine populations, operating through direct habitat loss and indirectly through prey availability changes. Reduced snowpack compromises denning success, as kits born in late winter require snow insulation for warmth during their most vulnerable developmental period. Warming temperatures also affect populations of snowshoe hares, ground squirrels, and ungulates that wolverines rely on for food. Individual wolverines may experience food stress and increased movement costs as habitat fragments. Conservation responses must address landscape connectivity, allowing wolverine range shifts northward and upward in elevation as southern areas become unsuitable. Climate adaptation strategies should be embedded in all wolverine recovery planning.