Wolverines now protected under ESA in lower 48

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Somebody found one to kill and skin up by Wisdom a few weeks ago.
ESA isn’t bad, it can and is weaponized by certain groups, but what isn’t these days?

 

[Awfulhunter]

Somebody found one to kill and skin up by Wisdom a few weeks ago.
ESA isn’t bad, it can and is weaponized by certain groups, but what isn’t these days?

Wisdom, MT?

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Wisdom, MT?

Yup, FWP sent out an email a few weeks back and seen it mentioned on some larger news sites

 

[MTSasquatch]

I don't know if there are only 250-300, or that is the guess. There doesn't seem to be a lot of information out there.

It’s incredibly difficult to get accurate population estimates of any wild animal, even deer and elk which are both relatively easy to find. Wide ranging, low density, reclusive animals like wolverine (and lynx and grizzly bears at that) are difficult to study. However, there’s enough quality data present to make inferences about their general numbers and distribution based on surveys and habitat information. I would suspect higher quality data may never be forthcoming. Remember, there’s been a lot of folks working in this critter for many many years prior to this listing action. The general public just never cared enough to pay attention. Heck, the general public still has no idea southern mountain caribou are extinct in the lower 48, if they even knew they existed in the first place. I digress…

 

[Stonecreek]

It’s incredibly difficult to get accurate population estimates of any wild animal, even deer and elk which are both relatively easy to find. Wide ranging, low density, reclusive animals like wolverine (and lynx and grizzly bears at that) are difficult to study. However, there’s enough quality data present to make inferences about their general numbers and distribution based on surveys and habitat information. I would suspect higher quality data may never be forthcoming. Remember, there’s been a lot of folks working in this critter for many many years prior to this listing action. The general public just never cared enough to pay attention. Heck, the general public still has no idea southern mountain caribou are extinct in the lower 48, if they even knew they existed in the first place. I digress…

I had no idea there were caribou in the lower 48! That's a huge bummer that they're all gone now.