Data from: Protection status, human disturbance, snow cover and trapping drive density of a declining wolverine population in the Canadian Rocky Mountains

Protected areas are important in species conservation, but high rates of
human-caused mortality outside their borders and increasing popularity for
recreation can negatively affect wildlife populations. We quantified
wolverine (Gulo gulo) population trends from 2011 to 2020 in >14
000 km2 protected and non-protected habitat in southwestern Canada. We
conducted wolverine and multi-species surveys using non-invasive DNA and
remote camera-based methods. We developed Bayesian integrated models
combining spatial capture-recapture data of marked and unmarked
individuals with occupancy data. Wolverine density and occupancy declined
by 39 percent, with an annual population growth rate of 0.925. Density
within protected areas was 3 times higher than outside and declined
between 2011 (3.6 wolverines/1000 km2) and 2020 (2.1 wolverines/1000 km2).
Wolverine density and detection probability increased with snow cover and
decreased near development. Detection probability also decreased with
human recreational activity. The annual harvest rate of 13% was above the
maximum sustainable rate. We conclude that humans negatively affected the
population through direct mortality, sub-lethal effects and habitat
impacts. Our study exemplifies the need to monitor population trends for
species at risk – within and between protected areas - as steep declines
can occur unnoticed if key conservation concerns are not identified and
addressed.