If you were to guess that this cute, little, furry animal called a fisher (Pekania pennanti) is a close cousin of weasels, then you’d be right. If you were to guess that like most mammalian predators fishers are mainly nocturnal (meaning they are most active at night), you’d also be correct. But if you were to guess this critter gets its name because it likes to eat fish, you’d be dead in the water (pardon the pun!).

The fisher’s name actually comes from early American immigrants who thought it looked similar to another animal they were familiar with called the European polecat. They often referred to European polecats as “fitchet,” “fitch,” or “fitchew,” Over time, these names evolved into “fisher,” the one this creature still goes by today!

Fishers are about the size of a domestic cat, with males measuring 35-47 inches long and weighing 8-13 pounds. Females are slightly smaller, at 30-37 inches long and weighing 4-6 pounds. The coloration of their fur ranges from deep brown to black, but it varies based on the season. In the summertime, the fisher’s fur is considerably lighter in color. But in preparation for winter, the fisher’s fur becomes dark brown, denser and glossier.

Fishers are found in the dense, mature coniferous or mixed forests of Canada and northern United States, where they live mainly solitary lives except when they find each other to mate or when mothers give birth to 1-4 babies called kits.

With partially retractable claws and hind paws that can rotate backward (nearly 180 degrees!), they are excellent climbers. They can even clamber down a tree headfirst.

So if a fisher doesn’t fish for fish, just what is on the menu? Fishers are opportunistic omnivores that favor rabbits, snowshoe hares, rodents and birds, and will also eat insects, nuts and berries when meat is unavailable. Fishers are one of the few predators that can successfully take on one of the toughest rodents in North America: the porcupine. How is a 4-14 pound weasel relative going to tackle a walking pincushion that even grizzly bears, wolves and mountain lions prefer to avoid? Strategy!

The fisher dances circles around the porcupine before repeatedly lunging forward, striking the porcupine’s unprotected head. This causes severe bleeding and sends the porcupine into shock. Once down, the fisher rolls the porcupine over so it can start eating from the prickly animal’s belly.

A common theme animal-lovers encounter when learning about the natural world is that all sorts of animals all over the world are at risk of becoming endangered, or worse, extinct. Until relatively recently, this was true of the fisher as well. They were over-harvested for their pelts and their forest habitats were destroyed due to logging and road building. However thanks to the introduction of trapping and logging restrictions, forest regrowth and other conservation efforts, fishers are not only making a comeback, they’re thriving!

They’ve started expanding their range eastward into places they haven’t been seen in at least two centuries. Interestingly, scientists have noticed that these eastward bound fishers are growing larger bodies and skulls with each new generation. Where these fishers are heading next is unknown, but scientists suggest that this is an adaptation to allow them to take down prey more efficiently, or even target larger prey.

We don’t know what the future will hold, but things are definitely looking good for fishers. Let’s keep them around long enough to see what these surprisingly fierce, porcupine-eating opportunists do next.

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Christian Ryan can be reached at animaladventures1314@gmail.com

HOMESCHOOL PROJECT

ORIGAMI FISHER

Have you ever tried origami? This is a really fun project that the whole family can participate in. It is really interesting how you can take a square piece of paper and turn it into the most amazing things.

Once you have completed the paper folding, draw the face of a fisher on it.

Project provided by Angel Dominiq

angeldominiq13@gmail.com