What is it about?
Some historically persecuted large carnivore species in Europe and North America are now recovering as a result of successful conservation actions. However, little is known about the ecological processes involved in the ongoing recolonization of human-altered landscapes by these species. This study quantifies changes in the density of a recovering, transboundary wolverine population in Norway and Sweden over nine years based on noninvasive genetic sampling of 2550 wolverines. The results indicate that the wolverine population in the Scandinavian Peninsula is still in flux 50 years after the start of their recovery, with changes in population densities driven mainly by anthropogenic factors. Wolverine population density increases with proximity to the alpine border between Norway and Sweden, which represents a historical refuge from human persecution for wolverines. Nonetheless, the study shows that the wolverine population has successfully expanded from this relict range into the neighboring boreal forests, which before the recolonization was considered a suboptimal habitat for the Scandinavian wolverines.
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Why is it important?
This study provides clear evidence that wolverines are successfully expanding into their historical range across the Scandinavian Peninsula in Norway and Sweden. Results also suggest important differences between female and male wolverines in their responses to the changing environment. This pattern suggests that female wolverine ranges are continuing to expand, whereas male wolverines may already be at the limit of their distribution ranges. Therefore, this study provides insight into how large carnivores can successfully recolonize human-dominated landscapes.
Perspectives
Today, the Scandinavian wolverine population has reclaimed many parts of its historical range. However, their return entails new challenges because their range is used intensively for domestic reindeer and sheep husbandry and breeding. Despite the wolverine's potential for recolonization, the long history of persecution in Scandinavia is still affecting the population. Not only from a scientific point of view, but also from a management perspective, this is an important question: What is shaping this population? Is it current management, landscape features, or history of local extinction? Our study also stresses that it makes no sense to limit the study of such wide-ranging species by current political borders as animals on both sides of the border are part of the same population.
Ehsan Moqanaki
University of Montana
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Environmental variability across space and time drives the recolonization pattern of a historically persecuted large carnivore, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, January 2025, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2401679122.
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Resources
From the brink of extinction: The wolverine’s comeback in Scandinavia
sciencenorway.no is a well-known and award-winning science news magazine published in Norwegian and English.
Wolverine density distribution reflects past persecution and current management in Scandinavia
This open-access published study was the basis for the current study published in PNAS.
Who’s the new furry neighbour? It might be a wolverine
Research Highlight by Nature
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