A recent study reveals that the effects of skiers, snowshoers, and snowmobilers venturing into backcountry areas on wolverines are greater than previously recognized.
Research conducted in the Columbia and Rocky Mountain regions, including Banff National Park, indicates that regions with increased recreational activities and roads have fewer wolverines inhabiting them.
While it has been established that wolverines typically avoid human presence, this study suggests that their avoidance goes beyond merely steering clear of individuals on trails.
“Recreational activities are not as harmless as we once believed,” stated Mirjam Barrueto, one of the study’s authors.
Barrueto and her colleagues at the University of Calgary, in collaboration with Parks Canada, investigated wolverine populations across an area of 80,000 square kilometers, chosen for its optimal habitat conditions for these animals.
Based on prior studies, researchers anticipated that the region could sustain approximately 500 to 600 wolverines.
However, the findings revealed that only about 300 wolverines are currently residing there.
A wolverine investigates a bait station set up by Mirjam Barrueto’s research team. Researchers placed beaver carcasses throughout the study area to attract wolverines and used the device pictured to collect fur samples for analysis. (Mirjam Barrueto)
The research indicated that winter recreational activities had a more significant effect than those in summer.
“Winter recreation generally leaves a much larger impact because, during summer, travel is limited to existing trails, which are scarce in our study area,” she explained. “In winter, with snow cover, skiers, snowmobilers, and heli-skiers can access virtually any location.”
Barrueto expressed surprise at the extent of human encroachment into what she had previously considered untouched wilderness.
She noted that female wolverines are particularly susceptible to disturbances while caring for their young, as they give birth in winter and use specific dens. Disturbances may force them to abandon food caches or expend energy evading humans instead of nurturing their kits.
One potential solution, according to Barrueto, is to identify these critical areas and temporarily restrict human access during sensitive winter periods.
The study also found a decline in female wolverine populations as roadways increased, while male populations did not show the same trend.
Jason Fisher, a wildlife ecologist and professor at the University of Victoria who did not participate in the study, remarked that the largely undisturbed nature of the study area enhances the significance of these findings.
“We depend on the Rocky Mountains, especially national parks, as a refuge for wolverine populations,” he noted. “The fact that they are struggling within this supposedly protected zone is quite concerning.”
Researchers Aerin Jacob (left) and Mirjam Barrueto (right) baiting a camera station in the Columbia Mountains, April 2018. (Michele Hueber)
Prior studies indicated that wolverines might begin avoiding an area if merely three or four groups traverse it over a couple of weeks.
This suggests that the number of people is not the only factor, according to Barrueto. Even minimal human activity can suffice to diminish wolverine populations in the vicinity.
“Whether it’s 100 individuals per day or 1,000, this species has likely already vacated the area,” Barrueto explained.
Encouraging people to stick to established trails instead of creating new ones or venturing off-path would aid in providing wolverines with the necessary space, she added.
A camera captures a female wolverine at one of the sampling stations. (Mirjam Barrueto)
Fisher emphasized that habitat protection is just one aspect of the overall issue.
Wolverines also face threats from trapping, hunting, and vehicle collisions, and he believes that better management of these mortality sources is essential, given the population’s limited capacity for further losses.
“We can preserve these creatures,” Fisher stated. “However, we need to make those decisions now and prioritize wolverine conservation.”
He noted that wolverines have thrived in these mountains for thousands of years.
“They are an incredible species that has persisted since the ice age,” Fisher concluded. “I hope to see them continue to exist for many more years.”