Fisher
Scientific Name: Pekania pennanti
The fisher is a medium-sized carnivorous mammal in the weasel family (Mustelidae), native to the forests of North America. Despite the name, fishers do not eat fish regularly—instead, they are agile predators known for hunting a variety of woodland animals.
The term "fisher cat" is a bit of a misnomer; as they are not in the same family as cats. They are more closely related to otters and marten, and resemble an oversized mink with a stouter neck. The are typically all brown, occasionally with a white chest patch. Unlike mink, they have lighter brown hair interspersed with dark on the head, neck, and shoulders that gives it a grizzled appearance.
Fishers are quite secretive, with a fierce reputation and important role in woodland ecosystems. They are powerful and adaptable creatures.
Adult size: 30 to 47 in (nose to tip of tail, with the tail accounting for half the length and females smaller than males).
Weight: 3 to 13 lbs with males (7-13 lbs) much larger than females (3-7 lbs).
Life span: Up to 10 years
Maturity: Females are mature and breed their first year, while males generally wait till their second year
Litter size: 1 to 6, usually 2 or 3 young
Fun Fact
Fisher are one of the only animals that regularly prey on porcupines. They eat the entire animal leaving behind only larger bones and the hide full of quills.
Diet
Fishers are omnivores and generalists. They consume a variety of small to mid-sized animals and carrion, as well as hard and soft mast such as acorns, nuts, cherries, apples, and berries. Favorite prey items include snowshoe hares, shrews, voles, mice, and red and flying squirrels.
Habitat
Fisher are found in a variety of forest types (mixed, deciduous, and conifer) but generally prefer conifer and mixed forests that are closed canopy with lots of cover. They avoid logged and open areas, especially in winter.
Behavior
Fishers maintain home ranges that vary by population density and habitat ranging from 1 to over 15 square miles, with females averaging smaller home ranges than males. They may also travel large distances to find prey. To capture prey, fisher will sometimes use a method of running through dense brush to flush prey before chasing them down.
Fishers are largely solitary except for the breeding season. They den in hollow trees and logs, rocky areas, under dense brush and in underground burrows; however, dens used for rearing young are usually above ground in tree cavities. Fisher are active throughout the winter except during harsh weather.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Fishers have delayed implantation with a long gestation period over much of the year with most embryonic growth happening in the last month. Young are born in March and April and dispersal of young occurs around their fifth month by the fall or early winter.
Population Status
Fishers were once heavily trapped for their fur and lost habitat due to deforestation, causing declines in the 19th and early 20th centuries. However, through reintroductions and habitat recovery, their populations have rebounded in many areas, including New York. They are now considered secure or of least concern in most of their range, though they remain rarely seen.
Viewing
Fishers can be seen in wooded areas in regions where they are common, sometimes even in forested areas just outside of suburban zones such as the Albany Pine Bush.
Range
Historically fishers had been restricted to the central and western Adirondacks by the 1930s due to deforestation and hunting and trapping pressure. Currently, fisher are found in the northern, eastern and southeastern parts of the state and have recently been expanding to repopulate the southern tier in south-central and south-western New York.
For more information on Fisher in New York please visit the NYSDEC page here.
