What would you do if you saw a wolverine running through your neighborhood?
No, not the superhero character. The animal.
That’s exactly what happened to these Oregon residents.
At a glance:
- A rare wolverine was spotted running down a suburban street in Eugene, Oregon, a highly unusual sighting in an urban area.
- Wolverines are typically found in cold, remote regions, with fewer than 300 in the lower 48 states.
- The animal’s presence in a city highlights concerns over climate change, as wolverines depend on deep snow for denning and rearing.
Oregon residents were left amazed after witnessing a rare wild animal sprinting down a suburban street in broad daylight. Willie Gonia, 33, from Eugene, caught a glimpse of what he initially thought was a bear running through his rural neighborhood in April. To his surprise, after taking a closer look, he realized it was actually a wolverine.
“After a split second, I knew it wasn’t a bear and realized it was a wolverine. I had never seen one before in real life, just on wildlife shows,” Gonia told The Dodo. The rare sighting of the elusive creature stunned locals, as wolverines are seldom seen in the lower 48 states.
Wolverines, known for their thick fur and solitary nature, typically inhabit wintry climates. According to the National Wildlife Federation, fewer than 300 wolverines live in the continental U.S., with most found in Alaska and northern regions like Canada and Russia. Spotting one in an urban environment is exceedingly rare, conservationists say.
Nicknamed the “woods devil” or “skunk bear,” the wolverine is the largest member of the Mustelidae family. They are typically 33 to 44 inches long, stocky with short legs, and are known for their remarkable ability to cover vast distances in search of food—up to 40 miles in a day.
Wolverines usually make their dens in deep snow at high altitudes, relying on snowpack to protect their young from cold and predators. This dependence on snow makes them vulnerable to climate change, a growing concern among conservationists. Bethany Cotton, conservation director for Cascadia Wildlands, told The Dodo, “It is extremely uncommon to see [a] wolverine anywhere, let alone in an urban or suburban environment.”
The rare sighting of the wolverine in Eugene underscores the risks these animals face as climate change impacts their natural habitats. Wolverines are currently protected under the federal Endangered Species Act, with experts like Cotton warning that their presence in unusual environments may serve as a warning signal of climate change’s broader effects on wildlife.
Want to see one for yourself? Here’s a clip showing several other sightings in Oregon in recent months:
Wild, right?