History
UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD AROUND THE YEAR 1830 the wolverine existed in the whole of North Sweden and in the province of Värmland. Likewise it was found in bigger areas of Norway and Finland. Also, the animal was found in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and the northern part of Poland.
But, like the other predators, the wolverine was hunted down and killed more and more as the hunters organized themselves more efficiently.
ONE MORE REASON TO SO MUCH KILLING OF THE WOLVERINE was that royalty and noblesse in Northern Europe and Germany, loved to dress up in wolverine fur capes and mantels. And even presently, wolverine fur is a beloved material for collars of parkasses and scooter overalls. The wolverine fur has an excellent capacity for keeping away hoarfrost, that otherwise easily is formed out of the human breathing when the temperature is low. The Korjaks on the Kamchatka peninsula are believed to have praised the brown-yellow fur particularly and they are supposed to have believed that their god Bulutschei dressed in wolverine fur.
ONE CAN READ IN BREHMS “THE LIFE OF ANIMALS” about hunters that mixed wolverine blood with honey and that they served that as a drink on weddings. The grease of the wolverine is said to be used, even today, as a healing ointment, especially in Russia.
THE WOLVERINE STRAIN WAS REDUCED in numbers during the 18th century and after that until the animal became a protected species in 1969. Since then, the wolverine strain has slowly recovered and is estimated to be up in a number of 700 animals. Norway houses approx. 360 and Finland approx 140 wolverines.
THE ATTITUDE FROM THE NORDIC POPULATIONS VERSUS THE WOLVERINE HAS MITIGATED OVER THE YEARS. Still though, many owners of sheep and reindeer are enraged over what they find bad decisions taken by the authorities on placement under protection. In later years, Swedish Naturvårdsverket and Norwegian Direktorat for Naturförvaltning have started to work out management plans for the practical cooperation with the populations in the areas where the wolverine is present. Most possibly, this has improved understanding for the wolverines as well as for the standpoints of the cattle owners. From 1996 and onwards, the reindeer owners are no longer obliged to find back the carcasses of killed reindeer for presenting proof of a killing by a wolverine. Instead, the owners receive payment for each rejuvenation, taking place among the predators.