Wolverines are wide-ranging carnivores threatened in Europe and North America by habitat fragmentation, trapping, and road mortality, with wildlife crossing infrastructure offering welfare and conservation benefits.
Wolverine welfare is primarily threatened by habitat fragmentation that restricts their natural wide-ranging behaviour and creates dangerous human-wildlife encounters. Road crossings without wildlife infrastructure force wolverines to navigate traffic, with frequent fatal outcomes. Trapping causes acute suffering and prolonged death depending on trap type. Livestock predation by wolverines triggers retaliatory killing. Wildlife crossings designed and positioned for wolverine use allow natural movement between habitat patches without road mortality risk. Compensation schemes for livestock losses reduce conflict pressure. The combined welfare and ecological benefits of wildlife crossing infrastructure make it one of the most cost-effective conservation investments for wide-ranging carnivores.