We investigated Wolverine (Gulo gulo) denning ecology in the boreal forest of northern Alberta. During winters 2015/2016 and 2016/2017, we used live traps to capture four female Wolverines and fitted them with global positioning system (GPS) collars programmed to take a location every two hours. We determined reproductive status at capture and GPS location data were used to identify den sites. One female denned in one of the two years, one female denned in two consecutive years, and two females did not den during the study. Seven of the eight Wolverine den sites were in mature or old Black Spruce (Picea mariana) stands, where dens consisted of a hollow, moss-covered mound originating from a partially uplifted root mass caused by a leaning or fallen tree. One den was located under decayed logging debris with an overstorey dominated by dense deciduous regeneration. Maximum snow depth recorded (December–March) at weather stations in the study area was 32–51 cm. Spring snow coverage was scarce in our study area (<1%) and always associated with ice cover on lakes and large ponds; mean distance from dens to nearest spring snow coverage was 15.19 km (SD = 2.73, n = 8). Female Wolverines appear to be using locally-available denning structures in the lowland boreal forest, despite a lack of deep snow, persistent spring snow cover, or large boulders documented in other studies.

Wolverines (Gulo gulo) occur at low densities in remote areas that are typically difficult to access, which has resulted in a lack of baseline data and uncertain status across parts of their range. We surveyed trappers in 2012 to gather information on local ecological knowledge of wolverine occurrence across a range of latitudes (49-59°N) in Alberta, Canada. We received questionnaires from 164 trapping areas in the Boreal Forest, Foothills, and Rocky Mountains. Similar to results from other methods of data collection, trapper observations of wolverines were associated with cooler climates and less anthropogenic disturbance. When we included data from all regions, the best model that explained recent wolverine observations included percent intact forest within the surrounding area. The odds ratio suggested that each increase of 1% in the amount of intact forest increased the odds of a trapper observing wolverine sign by 4%. In the Boreal Forest, the top model indicated that wolverines were more likely to be found in areas that had a cooler climate and more intact forest. Insights from trappers provided valuable baseline data on a sensitive species that is complementary to other research findings, and stimulated hypotheses that wolverines are linked to cooler climates and less disturbed environments.