Species Spotlight 12.11.2023 - The Fisher (Pekania pennanti)

I'd like to do species spotlights at least a few times each month to help educate others on mammals that you can find at the Quabbin. Let me know in the comments if you'd like me to keep doing these.

The species I'd like to cover today is Pekania pennanti, which many of you know as the fisher.

Physical Characteristics:
Fishers have a long, slender body with a bushy tail, which aids in balance, especially when climbing trees.
They have dark brown fur and are known for their darker facial mask.
The name "fisher" is somewhat misleading, as they do not have a strong affinity for fishing. The name likely originated from early European settlers who may have associated them with the European polecat, which is known for its fishing habits. Another misconception is that fishers are cats, specifically because they are referred to as fisher cats. This is incorrect as they are members of the vicious but cute weasel family, Mustelidae.

Habitat and Range:
Fishers are primarily found in the boreal and mixed deciduous-coniferous forests of North America.
Their range extends from the northern United States and Canada to some parts of the West Coast and the Southern Appalachians.

Behavior and Diet:
Fishers are agile climbers and spend a significant amount of time in trees. They use this skill for hunting, escaping predators, and seeking shelter.
While they are primarily carnivorous, their diet is diverse and includes small mammals, birds, insects, and occasionally fruits and mushrooms.
They are one of the few predators capable of hunting and eating porcupines, a behavior facilitated by their ability to flip the porcupine onto its back and attack the unprotected belly.

Reproduction:
Female fishers give birth to a litter of kits (young) usually in the spring.
The kits are born blind and helpless, and they remain in the den until they are old enough to venture outside.

Conservation Status:
While fishers have faced historical threats due to trapping for their fur, their populations have rebounded in many areas. Conservation efforts, habitat protection, and regulations on trapping have contributed to the recovery of fisher populations in some regions. Their status in the US is currently considered to be LC (Least Concern) though they are threatened in select regions.

Human Interaction:
Fishers are generally elusive and avoid contact with humans. However, they may be attracted to areas with abundant prey or food sources.

Quabbin Reservoir:
iNaturalist observations for the fisher at the Quabbin Reservoir are few and far between most likely due to their elusive habits. Though much of the Quabbin is composed of beaver ponds and regenerating forest, there are definitely older forests that provide suitable habitat for fishers and they are probably more abundant than what the iNaturalist observations suggest. Old forest with a lot of fallen trees would be a great place to start looking.

Find more information of fishers here: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/453109-Pekania-pennanti

Which species spotlight do you want next? Comment below!

Posted on December 11, 2023 05:10 PM by bmaher222