AssetID: 52883968
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Wolverines Are Making a Surprising Comeback in the US
Caption: Wolverines Are Making a Surprising Comeback in the US. 'The Guardian' reports that despite over 100 years of challenges, wolverines could be returning to the American West. In the early 1900s, wolverines had mostly disappeared from the United States due to poisoning and a major dip in big game populations. In recent decades, environmental efforts have led to a resurgence which now includes an estimated 300 animals in parts of Montana, Idaho, Washington and Wyoming. According to some researchers, the wolverine needs help returning to still viable ranges that include the Colorado mountains and parts of California. Later this year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will decide whether the species requires federal protections. "People talk about wolverines as being the embodiment of wilderness and that if there are wolverines, there are good wilderness areas still around." "I think that there's some truth to that.", Eric Odell, species conservation program manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, via 'The Guardian'. The wolverine is the largest terrestrial member of the mustelid family, reaching up to three feet long and weighing as much as 50 pounds. While the animal has a reputation for being a ferocious predator, wolverines are actually curious and social creatures. 'The Guardian' reports that if provided federal protections, wolverines could be reintroduced in a way that protects economic interest while also saving an endangered species. THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Wolverines,making,surprise,comeback,United States,America,US,natural wold,American West,poisoning,big game,bears,shootings,sport,disappeared,breed,wild,wildlife
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