Wolverine in the slipstream: A systematic review of caribou-focused conservation benefits, gaps and uncertainties for wolverine in Canada

With rates of biodiversity loss accelerating globally, debate exists regarding the most efficient ways of allocating resources to conserve species. Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou, hereafter “caribou”) are the focus of many Canadian conservation strategies. Here we examine the extent caribou-focused conservation can benefit wolverine (Gulo gulo), a Species at Risk that overlaps with caribou in distribution and ecological aspects. We conducted a systematic review of Canadian conservation documentation (51 caribou, 14 wolverine documents) and North American scientific literature (550 caribou, 167 wolverine papers) to quantify for wolverine and caribou: (i) variation in conservation documentation availability and age, (ii) overlap in commonly listed threats and recovery actions, and (iii) the extent threats have been researched across Canada. While we found differences in conservation and research focus, both key threats (including habitat loss, hunting and trapping, sensory disturbance, and linear features) and recovery actions (including management of important habitat, partnerships, and population monitoring) were listed in >50% of conservation documentation for both wolverine and caribou. We identify caribou-focused conservation actions that may support wolverine, and where gaps and uncertainties in wolverine management remain. Actions that effectively protect caribou critical habitat implicitly manage multiple threats relevant to wolverine.