This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Regarding "Have wolverines returned to Utah?" we are pleased that the Division of Wildlife Resources is excited that this secretive predator is attempting to make its way back to its historic home in Utah. Yet we think the Division should also be saddened that the wolverine was apparently so quickly killed after its arrival on one of our northern Utah highways.
At this rate, it's going to take a long, long time for this very rare species to make a comeback here in Utah. Nowhere in the division's press release was any mention made of the need for creating safe passages for these elusive animals and other critters. We need more wildlife overpasses and underpasses specially designed to help wildlife move safely through the land. We know from a variety of research that if we build them, our wildlife will use these under and over-passes designed for them.
More of these safe passages need to be created in the Bear River Range, where the wolverine was killed. Studies show this mountain range is a particularly important movement corridor connecting the greater Yellowstone to the Uintas and southern Rockies, and is being used by wolverines, wolves and lynx.
Allison Jones
Executive Director, Wild Utah Project