Shocked resident films rare wolverine charging down Oregon street: ‘What the f–k?’
An Oregon resident was stunned after he caught a rare wild animal — a wolverine — charging down his suburban street.
“What the f–k?” Willie Gonia gasped as he filmed the rarely seen large weasel running down his street in Eugene.
“Dude!” he cried out as the hairy animal scampered down the street. “This guy is out of his element.”
Gonia told The Dodo that he rushed out after he “noticed something out of the corner of my eye through the window” — and initially had no idea what he was looking at.
“It passed by, but lucky for me it turned around and ran by again,” he said.
“After a split second, I knew it wasn’t a bear and realized it was a wolverine,” Gonia told the outlet.
“I had never seen one before in real life, just on wildlife shows.”
Wolverine sightings are exceedingly rare, with dwindling populations across the country. The contiguous United States has an estimated population of fewer than 300 wolverines, according to the National Wildlife Foundation.
Most wolverines are found in Alaska, where there are thought to be around two wolverines per 1,000 square miles.
Like bears, wolverines walk on the soles of their feet and have curved, partially-retractile claws that allow them to climb trees. they are ferocious predators that prey mostly on mammals such as rabbits and rodents, experts said.
Although rare, more wolverine sightings have been reported in the state of Oregon, with 2023 being an “unprecedented year” for spotting the creatures nicknamed “woods devils,” Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.
Wolverines that are spotted in areas similar to Gonia’s are likely searching for new territory or place to reproduce that’s similar to where they typically call home, according to experts.
Beth Quillian with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife told the outlet that if you come across a wolverine, you can take photos or video without disturbing the animal, but emphasized you must not chase the species, which are considered threatened in Oregon, on foot or by car.
