Photo: Getty
A couple fishing outside Portland, Ore. on Monday was surprised when they spotted a rare wolverine, which islisted as a threatened speciesin the state.
The North American wolverine’s (Gula gula luscus) appearance on the Columbia Riverwas the first confirmed sighting of the animal outside its natural habitatof the Wallowa Mountains in more than 30 years, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) announced in a news release.
“Given the proximity to Portland, we were very surprised when this report came in and elated when we were able to verify the sighting,” said Dave Keiter, ODFW district wildlife biologist, in a statement. “We really appreciate the people who reported this rare occurrence and Cascadia Wild, who helped us confirm the report and begin monitoring efforts.”
Thanks to geotagged photos taken of the animal, staff from ODFW and the wolverine preservation nonprofitCascadia Wildwere able to visit the location and confirm the sighting after discovering a set of wolverine tracks.
Teri Lysak, a Cascadia Wild wolverine tracking coordinator, thanked the couple who “took the time to share it with us,” adding: “Some of the best information on wildlife can come from regular people who are paying attention to what they see.”
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Additionally, ODFW and Cascadia Wild have set up a non-invasive monitoring system with motion-detecting cameras and a hair-collecting device with a strong-smelling attractant.
Although more common in Canada and Alaska, smaller wolverine populations have been recorded in Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Oregon, where they are more commonly found among higher elevations and snowpack.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service isreassessing its 2020 decisionnot to list the North American wolverine as a threatened or endangered species.
source: people.com
