Wolverine spotted at Whitewater!

Earlier this winter, a team of independent biologists working for the Ministry of Environment headed off into the Whitewater backcountry to search for the elusive Wolverine. Doris Hausleitner and Andrea Cortello are the project leads in the South Columbia Mountains Wolverine Project. They've been working with Whitewater for a number of seasons to track and monitor the local wolverine kits present in our surrounding wilderness. Below is a write up of their search, and some photos of the wolverine tracks that they found during their investigations.

The Whitewater Ski Resort sits adjacent to some big chunks of protected wilderness; West Arm Provincial Park and Darkwoods Nature Conservancy.

Because of this location, the Whitewater backcountry frequently shows evidence of visits by one of the ultimate winter travellers: the elusive wolverine. Sometimes, at night, wolverine will even shortcut across the lift accessed runs. Think you can set a fast uptrack? You could learn a thing or too from this majestic animal. Wolverine will easily cruise up a 1,500 ft ascent in about 20 minutes.

Tracks found in the Whitewater backcountry - Andrea Cortello

Wolverine are a species at risk and biologists have been trying to keep tabs on these animals since 2012 using snow tracking and bait stations. Whitewater has helped to facilitate this effort. Wolverine are fierce and tenacious, but they are also vulnerable to human disturbance, especially females who are denning with young kits. Human presence at the den site can cause them to abandon it. You can recognize wolverine tracks because they are grouped in pairs or in a line of three tracks on the diagonal; each print will be nearly the size of your hand. It is a special thing to share a ridgeline or a descent with the trail of a wolverine but please try to avoid areas that have many wolverine tracks, as this could indicate denning activity (between February and May).

Wolverine - Andrea Cortello

To help with wolverine research and conservation, report sightings or tracks to wolverinewatch.org. Snap a photo if you can.  

Write up and photos by Andrea Cortello