Rare Wolverine Sighting Caught on Camera in Portland

An incredibly rare wolverine sighting has been captured on camera in Portland.

The elusive creature was spotted on the banks of the Columbia River near Portland by two anglers on March 20, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said.

This is the first time a wolverine has been spotted outside of Oregon's Wallowa Mountains in over three decades.

Wolverines are extremely rare. In 2016, it was estimated there were only 300 left in the U.S. It was widely believed that they had been eradicated from Oregon by 1936 but various sightings were made between the 1960s and the 1990s. A monitoring project from 2010 to 2012 found three wolverines living in the northeastern part of the state.

Wolverines are listed as a threatened species in Oregon. They are the biggest member of the weasel family and are sometimes mistaken for small bears.

Before this most recent sighting, a wolverine was last spotted in Oregon in 2022 in Wallowa County.

After the latest sighting, researchers from Oregon Fish and Wildlife and non-profit Cascadia Wild set up two monitoring stations in the area where the wolverine was spotted.

This will allow them to pick up on any tracks left by the wolverine, and whether it is still present in the area, though this is unlikely.

If they manage to obtain DNA from the animal, it could be used to identify the individual, meaning it could be tracked in the future.

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist Dave Keiter said in a press release that this sighting was surprising because of the area's close proximity with Portland.

Biologists were "elated" when they were able to verify the sighting, he said.

"We really appreciate the people who reported this rare occurrence and Cascadia Wild who helped us confirm the report and begin monitoring efforts," Keiter said.

The animals are most commonly seen at high elevations, in mountainous areas.

It is likely that this particular wolverine was leaving the state as the surrounding area is not its preferred habitat.

Biologists do not expect to see the animal again as the species are able to travel over 30 miles a day, meaning by now, it will be long gone.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Cascadia Wild encourage people to send in any photos of wolverines, since they are so rare.

"Some of the best information on wildlife can come from regular people who are paying attention to what they see. Many thanks to the couple who saw this animal and took the time to share it with us," Teri Lysak, a wolverine tracking coordinator with Cascadia Wild said in a press release.

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