Printer-friendlyFisher-Furbearer Profile
Description:
The fisher, also known as the "pekan cat," "fisher cat," or "black cat," is a large, dark, long-haired member of the weasel family. They have short legs, small ears, and a long well-furred tail. Their color varies from dark brown to nearly black. Fisher fur is long and luxuriant. Females are more valuable than males because of their more uniform color. The males often have a "grizzled" appearance due to the many tri-colored hairs along their neck and shoulders.
Adult males weigh from 7 to 12 pounds and may be 40 inches long, including their 13 to 15 inch tail. Adult females are smaller, weighing from 4 to 5.5 pounds. Extremely large male fisher may approach 20 pounds, but that is very unusual.
Fisher have large feet with five sharp toes. This makes them well adapted for walking on snow, climbing trees, and killing their prey.
Like their cousins, the skunks, both sexes have large scent glands near their anus, possibly used for marking territories.
Distribution and Habitat:
Fisher live in a band of forested habitat extending across North America. They do not occur on any other continent. In the east, they are found from Virginia north to Quebec and the Maritime Provinces of Canada. It is thought that they were once more widespread. Reintroduction programs have been successful in reestablishing them in some of their former range. For example, fisher from New Hampshire were moved to West Virginia. Maine fisher were used to reestablish Vermont's population.
In New York State, they are found in over 26,000 square miles of habitat in the northern, eastern, and southeastern parts of the state. It is believed that fisher also were native to central and western New York but they are only occasionally seen in that area of the state.
Behavior and Behavior:
Fisher are sexually mature in about one year. However, because the implantation of their embryo is delayed after fertilization, a process called "delayed implantation," they don't have their first litter until they are two years old. They breed immediately after having their litter. Births and breeding peak in March. They have an average of 3 young per litter.
Fisher usually use two types of shelters. Fisher dens used for giving birth to their young typically are found in large trees, high off the ground. They make use of natural cavities frequently found in older trees. They also use cavities in rocky areas. Dens for general cover and protection consist of hollow logs, turned over stumps, brush piles, or ground burrows.
There does not appear to be a single habitat type that can be called "typical fisher habitat." They are found in hardwood, softwood, and mixed stands throughout their range. They do not like large open areas, such as clear-cuts. However, they do hunt for small rodents in fields and meadows.
