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Wolverine

Gulo gulo

Mammal · family Mustelidae · order Carnivora

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G4: apparently secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Wolverine
Photo: Zefram, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G4 Apparently Secure[2]
Native in
9 states[3]
Longest recorded life
19.5 years[4]

The wolverine (Gulo gulo) is a mammal in the weasel family, Mustelidae, and is also called the carcajou[5][6]. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act, and NatureServe lists it as native in 9 US states and territories, including Alaska, Montana and Wyoming[1][3].

Conservation status

Wolverine is not listed as Endangered or Threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G4, which means Apparently Secure, across its whole world range, and N4 (Apparently Secure) within the United States[2][7]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[8]. State ranks differ from place to place, and the table on this page shows the rank NatureServe gives in each state[9].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G4 (Apparently Secure)
NatureServe US rank[7] N4 (Apparently Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[8] Least concern
Total population (NatureServe estimate)[10] 10,000 to >1,000,000 individuals

Where Wolverine lives

NatureServe lists the wolverine as native in Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming[3]. It is ranked as gone or possibly gone from many states, including Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin[11].

Alaska: native, state rank S4AKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXWIVermont: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXVTNew Hampshire: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXNHWashington: native, state rank S1WAIdaho: native, state rank S1IDMontana: native, state rank S3MTNorth Dakota: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXNDMinnesota: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXMINew York: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXNYMassachusetts: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXMAOregon: native, state rank S1ORNevada: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SHNVWyoming: native, state rank S1WYSouth Dakota: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXSDIowa: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXIAIndiana: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXINOhio: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXOHPennsylvania: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: native, state rank S1CAUtah: native, state rank S1UTColorado: native, state rank S1CONebraska: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[9].
Show state ranks (24 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlaskaS4Apparently Secure
CaliforniaS1Critically Imperiled
ColoradoS1Critically Imperiled
IdahoS1Critically Imperiled
IndianaSXPresumed Extirpated
IowaSXPresumed Extirpated
MassachusettsSXPresumed Extirpated
MichiganSXPresumed Extirpated
MinnesotaSXPresumed Extirpated
MontanaS3Vulnerable
NebraskaSXPresumed Extirpated
NevadaSHPossibly Extirpated
New HampshireSXPresumed Extirpated
New YorkSXPresumed Extirpated
North DakotaSXPresumed Extirpated
OhioSXPresumed Extirpated
OregonS1Critically Imperiled
PennsylvaniaSXPresumed Extirpated
South DakotaSXPresumed Extirpated
UtahS1Critically Imperiled
VermontSXPresumed Extirpated
WashingtonS1Critically Imperiled
WisconsinSXPresumed Extirpated
WyomingS1Critically Imperiled

Habitat

Wolverines live in cold, high or northern country: tundra, alpine areas, and forests and woodlands made up mostly of conifers, the trees with needles and cones[12][13]. In the southern part of their range they stay mostly in the mountains, often in big wild areas, and they tend to be found where snow covers the ground in winter[13]. They rest in dens in places like caves, rock cracks, thickets or spots under fallen trees, and they can climb trees[13].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[12]

Size, diet and lifespan

Wolverines eat meat and many other things, taking whatever they can find, from roots and berries to small mammals, eggs, young birds and fish[14][15]. One estimate puts their diet at 40% carrion, which means animals that are already dead, 20% warm-blooded vertebrates, 20% other vertebrates and 20% fruit[16]. A typical adult is about 100 cm (39 in) long and weighs about 15 kg (33 lb)[17][18]. A typical litter is 3 young, and the young are born in late winter or early spring in a den, sometimes one under the snow[19][13][20]. The longest recorded lifespan comes from a wolverine kept in captivity[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[17] 100 cm (39 in)
Typical adult weight[18] 15 kg (33 lb)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 19.5 years (captivity)
Litter or clutch size[19] 3
Gestation or incubation[21] 35 days
Female maturity[22] 710 days (about 1.9 years)
Food habits[15] Carnivore
Active[23] nocturnal
Migration[24] non-migrant, local migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[16]

  • 40% carrion
  • 20% warm-blooded vertebrates
  • 20% other vertebrates
  • 20% fruit

When to look for it

Wolverines stay active all year and keep moving around by day and by night but mostly at night[25][26]. Many shift to higher ground in summer and come lower down in winter[27]. On GBIF, most US records are from January, March and December, which shows when people report wolverines, not how many there are[28].

January: 383 recordsJanFebruary: 290 recordsFebMarch: 307 recordsMarApril: 143 recordsAprMay: 33 recordsMayJune: 39 recordsJunJuly: 39 recordsJulAugust: 32 recordsAugSeptember: 22 recordsSepOctober: 24 recordsOctNovember: 205 recordsNovDecember: 294 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[28].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January383
February290
March307
April143
May33
June39
July39
August32
September22
October24
November205
December294

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Wolverine as present in 21 park units[29]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Alaska, California, Montana, Colorado, Washington[30]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the wolverine endangered?
Wolverine is not listed as Endangered or Threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it Apparently Secure in the United States[7]. State ranks vary, and the table on this page lists them[9].
Where do wolverines live in the US?
NatureServe lists the wolverine as native in Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming[3]. It is ranked as gone or possibly gone from states such as Iowa, Michigan and New York[11].
What do wolverines eat?
Wolverines eat a wide mix of foods, including roots, berries, small mammals, eggs, young birds and fish[14]. One estimate puts carrion, meaning animals already dead, at 40% of the diet[16].
How big is a wolverine?
A typical adult is about 100 cm (39 in) long and weighs about 15 kg (33 lb)[17][18].
How long do wolverines live?
The longest recorded lifespan comes from a wolverine kept in captivity[4]. This is a record, not a typical lifespan.

Facts and sources

  1. Wolverine is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Wolverine: G4 (Apparently Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Wolverine as native in 9 US states and territories: Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 19.5 years in captivity. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Wolverine (Gulo gulo) is a mammal in the family Mustelidae, order Carnivora. NatureServe Explorer
  6. Other English names listed by NatureServe for Wolverine: Carcajou. NatureServe Explorer
  7. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N4 (Apparently Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  8. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe state ranks for Wolverine (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): 10,000 to >1,000,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  11. NatureServe ranks Wolverine as extirpated or possibly extirpated (SX or SH) in: Iowa, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin. NatureServe Explorer
  12. Habitat types NatureServe records for Wolverine: Forest - conifer, Woodland - conifer, Shrubland/chaparral, Grassland/herbaceous, Alpine, Tundra. NatureServe Explorer
  13. NatureServe notes on habitat for Wolverine. NatureServe Explorer
  14. NatureServe notes on food for Wolverine. NatureServe Explorer
  15. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Carnivore. NatureServe Explorer
  16. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 40% carrion, 20% warm-blooded vertebrates, 20% other vertebrates, 20% fruit. EltonTraits 1.0
  17. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 100 cm (39 in). NatureServe Explorer
  18. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 15 kg (33 lb). NatureServe Explorer
  19. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 3. AnAge
  20. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Wolverine. NatureServe Explorer
  21. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 35 days. AnAge
  22. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 710 days (about 1.9 years). AnAge
  23. Activity time in EltonTraits 1.0: nocturnal. EltonTraits 1.0
  24. NatureServe migration category for Wolverine: non-migrant, local migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  25. NatureServe notes on phenology for Wolverine. NatureServe Explorer
  26. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Circadian, Nocturnal. NatureServe Explorer
  27. NatureServe notes on migration for Wolverine. NatureServe Explorer
  28. GBIF observation records of Wolverine in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  29. NPSpecies park lists recording Wolverine as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies
  30. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Wolverine: Alaska, California, Montana, Colorado, Washington. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Zefram, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.