In the high alpine areas and deep boreal forest
of northern Europe roams an animal virtually unknown to most Europeans.
Variously known as glouton, jerv, järv, geatki, ahma, ernis, pocomaxa,
rosomach, ghiottone or wolverine. Related to martens and badgers, wolverines
are incredibly tough animals with a lot of attitude that eke out a living under
harsh conditions.
There is a
lot of talk in Europe about the four species of large carnivores. Most Europeans will be able
to identify wolves and brown bears, and many will recognize a picture of a
lynx. However, the fourth European large carnivore – the wolverine – is totally
unknown to most Europeans. It is also a species about which there is comparatively
little scientific knowledge.
During the
last two years, the European Commission has funded a project to conduct a
European wide review of the status of large carnivores. The process involved
contributions from independent experts from all European countries, and covered
wolves, brown bears, lynx and wolverines. The report summarises the status of
wolverines in the period 2008-2011.
Wolverines
are only found in four European countries – Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia.
There were clear differences in the quality of information available concerning
wolverine status. The best data is available from Norway, where there is a
nationwide monitoring program for wolverines that produces annual counts of
natal dens and an annual population estimate based on analysis of DNA from
faeces. Each year, over 100.000 km of surveys are driven using snowmobiles to
collect scats and look for dens. Wolverines are also hunted within an annual
quota hunt. In addition, state game wardens also conduct wolverine control
operations. The overall objective is to maintain the wolverine population at a level
that has been determined by parliament. The latest estimates are for around 385
wolverines in Norway – distributed from the Barents Sea coast in the north of
Finnmark down to the latitude of Lillehammer in southern Norway.
In Sweden,
monitoring is mainly based on monitoring known natal denning sites, with some
additional use of DNA from faeces and even camera-traps in the forested areas.
Current estimates are around 680 wolverines in Sweden. Monitoring between
Norway and Sweden is becoming increasingly standardized. Finland has a
different monitoring system, based mainly on track counts, and current
estimates are for around 70-80 wolverines in the north which are regarded as
being part of the same population (termed the “Scandinavian” population) as
those in Sweden and Norway. In addition, come another 80-90 wolverines in the
central forest areas that have some connection to wolverines in Russian
Karelia. This is termed the “Karelian” population. Wolverines are not hunted to
any large extent in Sweden or Finland. There is currently very poor data from
the Russian side, but the most recent estimates are for 150-170 in Russian
Karelia. There are also an estimated 350 wolverines on the Kola peninsula – but
it is not known to what extent these connect to either the Scandinavian or the
Karelian populations.
The total
of around 1200 wolverines in the three Nordic countries makes wolverines by far
the rarest of the four large carnivore species in Europe. However, most of
their distribution overlaps with the reindeer husbandry areas in the Nordic
countries, and the conflict caused by depredation on reindeer is common to all
countries. Reindeer herding is mainly conducted by members of the Sami people. Some
wolverines do occur outside the reindeer husbandry areas in all three
countries. In Norway, wolverines are also associated with significant conflicts
with free-ranging sheep. It is only in the forested habitats of south central
Sweden and central Finland that wolverines occur in areas with limited
depredation conflicts. Depredation represents a great challenge for management
as it is clear that the Nordic countries have a special responsibility in a
European context for the wolverine, yet their distribution is almost entirely
in areas where they conflict with livestock. In fact, in most of these areas
wolverines depend on domestic reindeer as prey. Finding a way to secure viable
wolverine populations and minimize their impact on reindeer is going to require
filling in the gaps that we have in our knowledge of this species that has
received much less attention than lynx, bears and wolves. Current research is
focusing on trying to quantify the numbers of reindeer and sheep killed by
individual wolverines.
John
Linnell, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research and Large Carnivore Initiative
for Europe
Further
information:
www.lcie.org
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/conservation/species/carnivores/
www.rovdata.no
This
animation shows the development of the Scandinavian wolverine population from
1996 to 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0geRd8iXKHg
This short
video (in Norwegian) shows how DNA technology is used to monitor wolverines in
Norwat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcJdeAr5C5Y