Wolverines Granted Endangered Species Act Protection Amidst Rising Concerns of Climate Change Impact on their Habitat
The North American wolverine is now protected as threatened under the Endangered Species Act due to climate change impacts, ensuring crucial federal safeguards for their diminishing snowy mountain habitats
The North American wolverine is now officially classified as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, receiving federal protections due to the impact of the climate crisis on their snowy mountain habitats. This decision by the US Fish and Wildlife Services comes as scientists warn that warming temperatures are quickly reducing the wolverines' essential mountain snowpack, crucial for their food, reproduction, and overall survival.
"The North American wolverine is facing greater threats due to climate change and habitat degradation," stated Hugh Morrison, Pacific Regional Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service. "By including them on the list, we can use the best scientific knowledge to help protect the wolverines and improve their chances of survival in the contiguous United States. This will provide legal safeguards for the threatened species under environmental laws, halt population decline, and promote conservation efforts and scientific research."
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Wolverines inhabit large areas of North America, from the Northern Rocky Mountains and the North Cascades in the lower 48 states to the boreal forests and tundra regions of Alaska and Canada, where populations are thriving. However, these snow-adapted creatures have become increasingly elusive in recent years.
Last summer, a rare trio of wolverines was spotted in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains - one in Yosemite National Park and two in the Inyo National Forest. The last sighting of the species in the region was between 2008 and 2018, and federal scientists have listed them as a threatened species under California's Endangered Species Act. A 2018 study projected a significant decrease in spring snow due to climate change, leading to predicted losses in the wolverine population in the coming decades. Additionally, a 2020 study found that higher temperatures could impact their ability to store food resources, decreasing the storage life of the cached food and increasing competition from pilferers that are better adapted to warmer climates.
Conservationists and scientists have long advocated for federal protections, and some environmental groups, such as the Center for Biological Diversity, have even pursued legal action.
Despite the increasing scientific evidence and advocacy for federal protections, initial proposals to safeguard the species were denied in 2020 during the administration of former President Donald Trump. In 2022, a federal judge mandated that the Biden administration make a final decision on the proposal.
Andrea Zaccardi, the legal director for carnivore conservation at the Center for Biological Diversity, expressed her excitement at the news that the Fish and Wildlife Service has granted wolverines the federal protections needed for their survival and recovery. She mentioned that wolverines, like many other species, have been waiting too long for federal protections, but she is joyous that they are finally on the road to recovery.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service is also seeking public comments on an interim rule that would provide exemptions for cases where humans may inadvertently harm the species through lawful trapping, research activities, or forest management to reduce the risk of wildfires.
