LONG BEACH PENINSULA — One of the Pacific Northwest’s most secretive and seldom-seen animals escaped to the beach during the Memorial Day weekend.

A wolverine was photographed in south Pacific County last week at two locations separated by dozens of miles. Numbering only about 300 in the lower 48 states with fewer than 50 in Washington, these bear-like members of the weasel family are legendary fighters with what a state biologist on May 26 called a “tough as nails” attitude.

Wolverine on forest road

A wolverine, perhaps the same individual photographed on the Long Beach Peninsula seashore, ran along a logging road near Naselle on May 20.

Wolverine on the beach

An animal identified as a wolverine by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists was photographed scavenging a marine mammal carcass on the ocean shore near Surfside on May 23.

Wolverine on forest road 2

A wolverine runs along a logging road in the Naselle area.

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