In the United States, the wolverine is listed as an endangered species
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The North American wolverine has received protection in the United States as an endangered species.
The relevant decision of the Ministry of Fisheries and Wildlife was made due to the threat of the animal becoming extinct due to climate change, writes Reuters.
The wolverine was protected under the Endangered Species Act.
The US Department of Fish Resources and Wildlife notes that only 300 wolverines roam the highlands of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and Washington.
| Photo: slowmotiongli/Depositphotos |
“The U.S. Fisheries Service announces its final decision to list a segment of the North American wolverine population in the U.S. as endangered under the Endangered Species Act“, the department said in a statement.
The Endangered Species Act generally prohibits the killing or harming of endangered animals without special permission.
The decision does not apply to Alaska or Canada, where wolverines number in the thousands.
As biologists note, few isolated populations of animals are at risk of extinction primarily due to rising temperatures and decreasing snow cover.
As the publication notes, the wolverine is the largest terrestrial species in the family of mammals called Mustelidae, which makes it a close relative of weasels, ferrets, skunks and badgers.
The predator resembles a small bear with a bushy tail, capable of destroying prey many times its size, as well as feeding on anything from birds to berries.
Wolverines build their dens, reproduce and store food in high mountain areas deep under the snow.
According to experts, wolverines can cover more than a dozen miles (19 km) a day in search of food.
Biologists suggest that major highways in southern British Columbia appear to limit the migration of female wolverines from Canada to the United States.
Regulated hunting of wolverines in southern Canada, where their pelts are prized, may have also degraded their populations.
Read also: “Frogs and salamanders: 2 thousand species of amphibians are threatened with extinction due to climate change – scientists”
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