Wolverine reintroduction possible?

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_22818033/lets-welcome-back-wolverines-colorado

90 percent of my time spent backpacking is used for wildlife viewing. How about this soon to be reintroduction of the wolverine population in the Rocky Mountains. I'm going to have to give the Rockies a visit.

There are supposedly a few out here in the Cascades. They are so elusive, though, that they are extremely difficult to track. A few have been sighted in the northern Washington Cascades. Some insist that there must be a wolverine or two around Mt. Hood, but nobody has seen one.

One or two would not constitute a self-sustaining population, so if Mt Hood has its wolverines, either there would need to be more like a couple dozen, or else they are just drifting in from somewhere with a surplus and never they successfully find a mate. The latter seems unlikely, if only because where would there be a surplus of wolverines nearby?

Wolverines are actually very solitary animals, the only time they interact with each other is during mating or a here or there species encounter. I'm sure that the wolverines that you are speaking about from Mt. Hood are seasonal, for example they only come to that area during the summer or winter. A couple dozen wolverines is going to be very hard to find in any of the continental United States, wolverines are endangered and rare down here, even in Yellowstone where they are most likely most prominent they are not so many. But like the article I posted if a reintroduction were to occur in the Rocky Mountains the government would need to set aside land closed to most activities such as hunting for there conservation and they would probably only introduce 10 or 12 at the most, if that.

There is that one lone one close to where I live in N CA, it's had it's photo taken a few times the last couple years, a little north of Truckee, CA.
Duane

I read about that, how neat! Hopefully there is enough to build a larger population.

FYI they have been running a great documentary on PBS stations in this area about wolverines in Glacier. A really good program if you get to see it.

There is really no other critter like a wolverine. Just about the toughest bugger going. It would be quite a privilege to see one. As we gear our activities around wildlife also it is one of the few animals we have not checked off our list and unfortunately we probably never will. They thrive in the extremes and will probably stay far from even the most adventurous of thrill seekers.

According to the documentary they are the 3rd most difficult animal to breed after the Panda and Polar bear. I hope any introduction efforts will be a success.

jimmyb

A few yeas ago they got a picture of one here in Michigan. If I remember correctly I think that it later got hit by a car and was found dead. There have been rumors for years about spottings. Ironic because Michigan is called the Wolverine state even though there probably were never many in MI.

Grumpygord, that's funny that you mentioned michigan because I was reading this article the other day about an essay that a biology student wrote while he was at university of michigan about wolverines being in the "wolverine state" he stated that historically wolverines have never actually lived in Michigan but that they have passed through seasonally. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find the article again to confirm what I remember.

According to your name I assume your from Oregon? Every done any backpacking in the wallowa mountains. I just read an article about wolverines in the wallowa mountains in eastern Oregon I believe.

I've done quite a bit of backpacking in the wallowas. They'd be a great area for wolverines to live in. Even beyond the wilderness boundaries is nothing but semi-wilderness and ranchland (excluding a very few small towns) for at least 50 miles in any direction. btw, the wallowa mtns are well worth hiking in.

Yea that for sure be great habitat for them

I remember this. Around the mid 90's if I remember correctly. It was the first ever reported sighting of a wolverine in Michigan. As others mentioned wolverines are thought to have never been native to the state. The state name apparently comes from trappers bringing them down from Canada.