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BC Conservation Data Centre: Species Summary


Gulo gulo luscus
Wolverine, luscus subspecies

 
Scientific Name: Gulo gulo luscus (Linnaeus, 1758)
English Name: Wolverine, luscus subspecies
 
Classification / Taxonomy
Scientific Name - Concept Reference: Hessels, E.W., E.C. Lofroth, R.D. Weir and J.C. Gorrell. 2021. Characterizing the elusive Vancouver Island wolverine, Gulo gulo vancouverensis, using historical DNA. Journal of Mammalogy 102(2):530?540.
Classification Level: Subspecies
Species Group: Vertebrate Animal
Species Code: M-GUGU-LU
Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family
Animalia Craniata Mammalia Carnivora Mustelidae
   
Conservation Status / Legal Designation
Global Status: G4T4 (Apr 2016)
Provincial Status: S3 (Dec 2010)
BC List: Blue
Provincial FRPA list: Y (May 2004)  
Provincial Wildlife Act:
COSEWIC Status: Special Concern (May 2014)
SARA Schedule: 1  -  Special Concern (Jun 2018)
General Status Canada:
   
Ecology & Life History
General Description: A somewhat bearlike mustelid with massive limbs and long, dense, dark brown pelage, paler on the head, with two broad yellowish stripes extending from the shoulders and joining on the rump; bushy tail; relatively large feet; 650-1125 mm total length, 170-260 mm tail, 180-192 mm hind foot; mass 7-32 kg; females average about 10% less than males in linear measurements and 30% less in mass (Hall 1981, Ingles 1965, Nowak 1991).
Global Reproduction Comments: See files for GULO GULO.
Global Ecology Comments: See files for GULO GULO.
Migration Characteristics:
(Global / Provincial)		 
    Nonmigrant:
    Local Migrant:
    Distant Migrant:
    Within Borders Migrant: 		Y /
Y /
N /
na /
Global Migration Comments: See files for GULO GULO.
Habitats:
(Type / Subtype / Dependence) 		Alpine/Tundra / Alpine Grassland / Unknown
Alpine/Tundra / Alpine/Subalpine Meadow / Unknown
Alpine/Tundra / Krummholtz / Facultative - frequent use
Forest / Conifer Forest - Dry / Facultative - frequent use
Forest / Conifer Forest - Mesic (average) / Facultative - frequent use
Forest / Conifer Forest - Moist/wet / Facultative - occasional use
Forest / Deciduous/Broadleaf Forest / Facultative - occasional use
Forest / Mixed Forest (deciduous/coniferous mix) / Facultative - occasional use
Grassland/Shrub / Grassland / Facultative - occasional use
Grassland/Shrub / Meadow / Facultative - frequent use
Grassland/Shrub / Shrub - Natural / Facultative - frequent use
Other Unique Habitats / Avalanche Track / Facultative - frequent use
Riparian / Riparian Forest / Facultative - frequent use
Rock/Sparsely Vegetated Rock / Cliff / Facultative - occasional use
Rock/Sparsely Vegetated Rock / Rock/Sparsely Vegetated Rock / Facultative - occasional use
Rock/Sparsely Vegetated Rock / Talus / Facultative - occasional use
Stream/River / Stream/River / Facultative - occasional use
Wetland / Bog / Facultative - occasional use
Wetland / Fen / Facultative - occasional use
Wetland / Marsh / Facultative - occasional use
Wetland / Swamp / Facultative - occasional use
Global Habitat Comments: See files for GULO GULO.
Food Habits: Carnivore: Adult, Immature
Global Food Habits Comments: See files for GULO GULO.
Global Phenology: Circadian: Adult, Immature
Nocturnal: Adult, Immature
Global Phenology Comments: See files for GULO GULO.
Provincial Phenology:
(1st half of month/
2nd half of month)
Colonial Breeder: N
Length(cm)/width(cm)/Weight(g): 100/ / 15000
Elevation (m) (min / max): Global: 
Provincial: 
   
 
Distribution
Endemic: N
Global Range Comment: Historic range: North America, from the arctic islands to the mountains of Colorado and Utah and parts of the north-central and northeastern U.S. (where records are sketchy and scarce), exclusive of California, Oregon, Washington, and part of southern British Columbia. Extirpated from most of the southern part of the range, including all of the north-central and northeastern U.S. and most of southeastern and south-central Canada.
 
Authors / Contributors
Global Information Author: Hammerson, G.
Last Updated: Sep 13, 1995
Provincial Information Author:
Last Updated:
   
References and Related Literature
Austin, M.A., S. Herrero, and P. Paquet. 2000. Wolverine Winter Travel Routes and Response to Transportation Corridors in Kicking Horse Pass Between Yoho and Banff National Parks. P. 705 in L.M. Darling, ed. 2000. Proc. Conf. on the Biology and Manage. Species and Habitats at Risk, Kamloops, B.C., 15-19 Feb., 1999. Vol. 2; B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Victoria, BC, and Univ. College of the Cariboo, Kamloops, BC. 520pp.
Banfield, A. W. F. 1974. The mammals of Canada. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada. 438 pp.
British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection. 2004. Wolverine in Accounts and measures for managing identified wildlife. British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Victoria, BC. 52pp.
COSEWIC. 2003o. COSEWIC assessment and update status report on the wolverine Gulo gulo in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. vi + 41 pp.
Elliot. 1904. Field Columbian Museum, Publ. 87, Zool. Ser. 3:260-261.
Halfpenny, J.C., et al. 1979. A bibliography of mustelids. Part IV: Wolverine. Michigan State Univ., Agric. Exp. Sta., Jour. Art. No. 9214, 121 pp.
Hall, E. R. 1981a. The Mammals of North America, second edition. Vols. I & II. John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York. 1181 pp.
Hamilton, W. J., Jr., and J. O. Whitaker, Jr. 1979. Mammals of the eastern United States. Cornell Univ. Press, Ithaca, New York. 346 pp.
Jones, J. K., Jr., D. M. Armstrong, R. S. Hoffmann, and C. Jones. 1983. Mammals of the Northern Great Plains. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, Nebraska.
Krebs, J.A., and D. Lewis. 2000. Wolverine Ecology and Habitat Use in the North Columbia Mountains: Progress Report. Pp. 695-703 in L.M. Darling, ed. 2000. Proc. Conf. on the Biology and Manage. Species and Habitats at Risk, Kamloops, B.C., 15-19 Feb., 1999. Vol. 2; B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Victoria, BC, and Univ. College of the Cariboo, Kamloops, BC. 520pp.
Kyle, C.J., and C. Strobeck. 2000. Microsatellite Analysis of North American Wolverines. Pp. 707-711 in L.M. Darling, ed. 2000. Proc. Conf. on the Biology and Manage. Species and Habitats at Risk, Kamloops, B.C., 15-19 Feb., 1999. Vol. 2; B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Victoria, BC, and Univ. College of the Cariboo, Kamloops, BC. 520pp.
Magoun, A. J. 1987. Summer and winter diets of wolverines, GULO GULO, in arctic Alaska. Canadian Field-Nat. 101:392-397.
Nowak, R. M. 1991. Walker's mammals of the world. Fifth edition. Vols. I and II. Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, Baltimore. 1629 pp.
Sargeant, A. B. and D. W. Warner. 1972. Movements and denning habits of a badger. Journal of Mammalogy 53:207-210.
Stevens, V., and S. Lofts. 1988. Species Notes for Mammals. Vol. 1 in A.P. Harcombe, tech. ed. Wildlife Habitat Handbooks for the Southern Interior Ecoprovince. B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Wildl. Branch. Tech. Rep. R-15. 174pp.
van Zyll de Jong, C.G. 1975. The distribution and abundance of the wolverine (Gulo gulo) in Canada. Canadian Field-Nat.,89(4):431-437.
Whitman, J. S., W. B. Ballard, and C. L. Gardner. 1986. Home range and habitat use by wolverines in southcentral Alaska. Journal of Wildlife Management 50:460-463.
Wilson, D. E. 1982. Wolverine Gulo gulo. Pages 644-652 in J. A. Chapman and G. A. Feldhamer, editors. Wild mammals of North America: biology, management, and economics. Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, Baltimore. 1147 pp.
 

Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for definitions of the data fields used in this summary report.

Suggested Citation:

B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 1995. Species Summary: Gulo gulo luscus. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Dec 9, 2024).