Wolverines are solitary, wide-ranging mustelids whose welfare depends on large intact wilderness areas with reliable snow cover. Climate change threatens the foundation of their existence.
Wolverine welfare faces an existential threat from climate change, which is eliminating the persistent snow critical for denning and food storage. Females who cannot find adequate snow for dens abandon reproduction attempts, reducing population recruitment. Trapping for fur causes injury and death with significant suffering during the period between trap placement and check. The combination of low natural density, large space requirements, and climate vulnerability makes wolverine populations fragile. In the US, wolverines have been a subject of intense legal battles over Endangered Species Act listing. Conservation efforts focused on maintaining connectivity across large landscapes represent the primary welfare protection available.