The Wolverine Way - Paperback

by Douglas H. Chadwick (Author)

"This is a book full of adventure, courage and determination. Bravo to Patagonia for its support of the wolverines and the wildlife corridor which may prevent their extinction." --Jane Goodall

This book is the inspiration for the lead character in Dream State by Eric Puchner (the Oprah pick 2025) and influenced the placement of North American wolverines on the endangered species list in 2023.

Glutton, demon of destruction, symbol of slaughter, mightiest of wilderness villains... The wolverine comes marked with a reputation based on myth and fancy. Yet this enigmatic animal is more complex than the legends that surround it. With a shrinking wilderness and global warming, the future of the wolverine is uncertain. The Wolverine Way reveals the natural history of this species and the forces that threaten its future, engagingly told by Douglas Chadwick, who volunteered with the Glacier Wolverine Project.

This five-year study in Glacier National Park - which involved dealing with blizzards, grizzlies, sheer mountain walls, and other daily challenges to survival - uncovered key missing information about the wolverine's habitat, social structure and reproduction habits. Wolverines, according to Chadwick, are the land equivalent of polar bears in regard to the impacts of global warming. The plight of wolverines adds to the call for wildlife corridors that connect existing habitat that is proposed by the Freedom to Roam coalition.

Author Biography

A wildlife biologist who studied mountain goats and grizzlies in the Rockies, Doug Chadwick began writing about natural history and conservation for national magazines. On assignments from Siberia to the Congo River's headwaters, he has produced several hundred popular articles and ten books. He is also the vice chair of the board of Vital Ground, a nonprofit land trust that has helped safeguard more than 600,000 acres of wildlife habitat in Alaska, Canada, and the western US.