Rare wolverine sighting caught on camera by Calgary photographer – Calgary

He had only five seconds to shoot a once-in-a-lifetime photo, and it ended up going viral on social media.

Gordon Cooke, a Calgary resident with a passion for wildlife and nature photography, was out looking for ospreys to photograph over the weekend.

He was hiking up a hill just outside the city when he heard something “clash and bang” at a nearby marsh. He went to check out the commotion when he saw a wolverine running out of its den.

“I thought it was porcupine at first. I saw the white fur but then realized it was too fast and too big to be a porcupine,” Cooke told Global News.

“All of a sudden he ran out into the open and that’s how I got a few shots.”

Wolverines are bear-like creatures and are the largest member of the weasel family. However, they are considered endangered because of the destruction of forests due to development, forestry and road creation.

Cooke said he was in awe when he saw the wolverine and the only thought that ran through his head was whether the settings on his camera were correct.

“Seeing a wolverine in the wild is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, to photograph one is beyond my imagination,” he said.

“It went by really fast. As soon as it realized I was a human, it took off.”

2:15
Wolverine population declining in Canada, new research shows

&copy 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.