Ecological Assessment of Wolverines in the Eastern Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

The Absaroka-Beartooth wolverine project focuses surveying and research in Yellowstone Park and the national forest areas along the park's north, south, and east boundaries. The project is a cooperative effort by Yellowstone National Park staff, the Rocky Mountain Research Stations, the Bridger-Teton, Gallatin, and Shoshone national forests, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildife and Parks, Wyoming Game and Fish, and the Rocky Mountain Cooperative Ecoystems Studies Unit. To date, four wolverines have been captured and radio-marked, and two wolverines that were captured at Wildife Conservation Society study sites are being cooperatively monitored. The Absaroka project has documented wolverine survival, movements, food habits, and habitat use. The project is also completing a helicopter-based survey (winter snow-tracking) of wolverine distribution based on data collected in 2008 and 2009. Most wolverine detections to date have occurred in the southeast and northern portion of the study area.

Updated 7/23/10