Wolverines are among the species most vulnerable to climate change as obligate users of deep persistent snow for denning and food caching, with welfare implications from habitat loss.
Wolverine welfare is directly threatened by climate change through two mechanisms: loss of deep snow for denning undermines reproductive success, and loss of snow-based food caching reduces winter food security. Female wolverines that cannot find adequate denning conditions face reproductive failure — a profound welfare and demographic loss. The vast territories wolverines require mean that habitat fragmentation from roads, development, and human disturbance compounds climate stress by reducing the effective habitat available. Trapping remains a welfare concern in Canadian populations, where leg-hold and conibear traps cause acute suffering. The combination of climate vulnerability, small population size, and ongoing trapping mortality creates a precarious welfare and conservation situation for this charismatic carnivore.