Wolverines are trapped for fur in parts of Canada and Alaska, with trapping methods causing prolonged suffering in these already-stressed carnivores at the edge of their climate-threatened range.
Wolverines caught in leghold traps experience acute physical trauma from the trap mechanism, followed by prolonged distress as they struggle to escape. In winter wolverine habitat, trapped animals face subfreezing temperatures without shelter or food for the hours or days until trap lines are checked. Injuries from struggling - broken teeth, torn paws, dislocated joints - add to the acute trauma of capture. Even 'quick-kill' traps may not function as intended on wolverines whose mustelid body shape differs from the traps' design specifications, causing prolonged rather than rapid death.