Wolverines are opportunistic scavengers and predators whose diet and foraging behavior have complex welfare implications for both wolverines and their prey species.
The welfare interactions between wolverines and their prey reflect the complexity of natural predator-prey dynamics. Wolverine predation on ungulate calves causes acute suffering for prey animals, while successful predation provides essential calories for wolverine survival and reproduction. Wolverine scavenging of carrion represents lower welfare impact for prey (which are already dead) while providing critical energy for wolverines in lean seasons. The ecological function of wolverines in distributing scavenging pressure across landscapes has broader welfare implications for the many other species that benefit from carrion resources. Protecting wolverine populations and the intact ecosystems they inhabit represents the welfare-positive approach that allows natural ecological processes to function without human interference.