MOUNTAIN LIFE - Coast Mountains | Fall Winter 2018

78 MLCM FALL/WINTER 2018 left over after dirt is moved for road construction. Over time these hollows fill with water and willow trees, becoming manufactured habitats to one of wolverine’s favorite snacks: beavers. But due to their proximity to roads, borrow pits are high-risk, high-reward locales for wolverine. Scrafford says at least nine were killed by traffic during the study, and three more were likely killed by wolves that use these roads for easy travel. During the study, the wolverine surprised researchers with their odd attraction to clearcuts, even spending time at sites while they were being actively logged. Scrafford isn’t sure what the wolverine were up to—perhaps hunting smaller animals as they fled the machinery? Or maybe naive curiosity? Clearcut borders and the narrow, cut swathes used in mineral surveys may allow wolverine to travel fast and find small prey, although previous studies suggest that they avoid these areas when they have to share them with snowmobiles and other recreational vehicles. Scrafford points out that in his study site, the extremely low human population is an advantage for wolverine. “The more people out there using wolverine habitats,” he explains, “the bigger chance you have that wolverine will get killed—whether hit by a car, accidentally shot, or trapped.” Perhaps the region’s low human population balances some of its industry-based risks. While northwest Alberta is prime wolverine territory, these animals are rare in the Coast Mountains. Mountain Life Annual editor Les Anthony was lucky enough to see one while ski touring with friends. “This very large animal popped out from behind a large rime formation on the summit, not 10 metres away from where we stood,” says Anthony, who has a background in biology. “It looked like a woolly German Shepherd. It stopped and stood still, taking in the scene as if counting us, then turned and disappeared. Ten seconds later it reappeared again, as if to make a final assessment that there were too many Gore-Tex-clad animals to take on. It was a weird encounter,” Anthony recalls, “but also exhilarating. A rare chance to see the phantom of the mountains up close.” As industry and tourism inch further into the Coast Mountains, Scrafford asserts that studies like his offer “a chance to find out what the species needs so we don’t make the same mistakes again.” He recommends practical ways to bolster wolverine populations: loggers should leave a transitional zone between logged areas and forests; they should keep slash piles in protected areas as wolverine habitat and cover for their prey; old roads should be reclaimed when they are no longer in use and new roads clustered together to leave more contiguous habitat; traffic should be limited during denning season—or roads closed altogether; and the impacts of our outdoor recreation should be considered, especially when it involves motorized vehicles. And recreationists take note, if you happen to come across a wolverine out there in wilds, be like the grizzly and give it all the space it needs. “It looked like a woolly German Shepherd. It stopped and stood still, taking in the scene as if counting us, then turned and disappeared.” – Leslie Anthony, biologist