An Oregon resident was stunned when he caught a rare wild animal, a wolverine, that lunged at him on a suburban street.
“Oh my god,” Willie Gonia gasped as he photographed a large, rarely seen weasel running down his street in Eugene.
“You!” he shouted as the furry animals ran down the street. “This man is out of his element.”
Gonia said. dodo After he “saw something out of the corner of his eye through the window,” he rushed outside and at first had no idea what he was seeing.
“It passed by, and luckily for me, it turned around and passed by again,” he said.
“After a split second, I realized it wasn't a bear, it was a wolverine,” Gonia told the magazine.
“I had never seen one in real life before, only at wildlife shows.”
Wolverine sightings are extremely rare as wolverine populations are declining nationwide. According to , the estimated population of wolverines in the contiguous United States is less than 300 individuals. National Wildlife Foundation.
Most wolverines are found in Alaska, where there are thought to be about two wolverines per 1,000 square miles.
Like bears, wolverines walk on the soles of their feet and have partially retractable curved claws that allow them to climb trees. Experts say they are ferocious predators that primarily prey on mammals such as rabbits and rodents.
Although rare, more wolverine sightings have been reported in Oregon, making 2023 an “unprecedented year” for sightings of the so-called “Devil of the Woods.” oregon public broadcasting Reported.
Experts say wolverines spotted in areas similar to Gonia are likely searching for new territory or breeding sites similar to their normal habitat.
Beth Killian of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife told the magazine that if you encounter a wolverine, you can take photos or video without disturbing the animal, but wolverines are endangered in Oregon. He emphasized that people should not chase after people on foot. Or by car.
