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Space use and territoriality of wolverines (Gulo gulo) in northern Scandinavia

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Abstract

Space use and territoriality influence population structure and dynamics and is therefore an important aspect in understanding the ecology of animals. We investigated spatial and temporal space use of wolverines (Gulo gulo) in northern Scandinavia. We estimated home ranges of 24 radio-marked individuals (17 females and seven males). Male home ranges (mean 669 km2; SE = 211) were significantly larger than female home ranges (mean 170 km2; Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney; P = 0.001) and encompassed or included parts of up to five different females. Home range sizes of reproducing (170 km2; SE = 51) and barren (171 km2; SE = 63) adult females did not differ. Wolverines in Scandinavia exhibit intrasexual territoriality, with male home ranges totally exclusive and female home ranges either exclusive or with little home range overlap. Overlap between wolverine territories is most likely explained by intrasexual tolerance and kinship.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management, World Wildlife Fund Sweden, and the Kempe Foundation. The study was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee for northern Sweden, Umeå. We thank an anonymous reviewer for comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 730 91, Riddarhyttan, Sweden

    Jens Persson & Peter Segerström

  2. Örebro County Administrative Board, Stortorget 22, 701 86, Örebro, Sweden

    Per Wedholm

Authors
  1. Jens Persson
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  2. Per Wedholm
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  3. Peter Segerström
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Correspondence to Jens Persson.

Additional information

Communicated by P. Krausman

Appendix

Appendix

Table 4 Annual home ranges (square kilometre) of wolverine in different study areas
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Persson, J., Wedholm, P. & Segerström, P. Space use and territoriality of wolverines (Gulo gulo) in northern Scandinavia. Eur J Wildl Res 56, 49–57 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-009-0290-3

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