Wolverine spotted in Oregon! Second such sighting in a month

Wolverines were thought to be a thing of the past. But recent confirmed sightings of the sharp-clawed creature in Oregon have piqued curiosity in and around the state. At least two such sightings have been reported since the last month, although it isn't clear if the same wolverine was seen both times. This is the first time that the wolverine has been documented in the state since 1969, wildlife officials say.

In a video captured by a bystander and posted by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, a wolverine can be seen dashing down a snowy hill. It then moves across a busy two-lane mountain road where a few seconds later a tractor-trailer zooms by.

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The Wolverine in Oregon was seen and captured on camera on April 6 by a local. Biologists of the Oregon agency later confirmed that the animal was a wolverine and tracked its footprints off Highway 20 in the Cascade Range.

This is not the first time that a wolverine has been spotted in Oregon in recent times. The department said in a news release that two people fishing on the Columbia River near Portland had also spotted a wolverine on March 20 this year. It was later seen several times in the following days in southern parts of the city.

The department says since long-distance travel is pretty common for a wolverine, it could be the same one seen in Portland. The mountain region in Oregon where the wolverine was seen is roughly 136 miles southeast of Portland. Wolverines are known for their endurance and strength and when searching for a new territory, can cover 30 miles per day.

Before this, a wolverine was seen outside of the Wallowas, a mountain range in Oregon's northeast, in 2022. Besides this, the last time a wolverine was spotted in the state was in 1969. A trapper killed one in the Cascades, the department said.

Wolverines have been placed on the list of threatened and endangered species in Oregon.

Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit organisation for endangered animals, says that there were less than 300 wolverines in 2020.

Conservation groups argue that climate change and loss of habitat are putting animals at risk of extinction. Due to this reason, they have been asking the federal government to protect wolverines under the Endangered Species Act.

(With inputs from agencies)

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