NEWPORT, OR -- A busy wolverine spotted on the Oregon coast is getting a lot of attention from state wildlife officials. "We’ve had some sightings over the last year or so, which have come as an exciting surprise to us," says Beth Quillian, with Oregon’s Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Sightings are extremely uncommon, but reports came in this month from Newport, Netarts and Nehalem. Quillian tells KBND News, "It is likely that this wolverine and the individual that was seen last year are probably dispersing from other areas where wolverines live, and looking to pave their own road and find somewhere to set up shop, so to speak." She admits it may even be the same animal, since wolverines can travel up to 30 miles a day.

Quillian suspects it’s just passing through and doesn’t plan to stay in the area, "Wolverines really need alpine, high elevation habitat. So, the habitat on the coast that it’s been making its way through is not ideal."

By 1936, most wolverine were gone from Oregon, due to over-trapping, "Since then, we’ve had a few documented sightings from the 60s and the 90s but it’s very hard to verify and to confirm wolverine sightings." It's now a legally protected threatened species. Quillian says one known full-time Oregon wolverine lives in the Wallowas, "He pops up every now and then and we get him on camera. But that’s the only one that I’m aware of. And besides that, the closest wolverine population that we know of, is close to Mt. Adams in Washington."

Although they can be tough to confirm, recent sightings give officials hope, "Keep an eye out. If you see something, try to get a photo of it; definitely report it to us." You can submit photos and sighting info online HERE. And, "If you’re in a situation where you’re very close to a wolverine," says Quillian, "Just make sure that you give it an opportunity to escape. It’s certainly an animal that would not like to be cornered."