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Fisher Facts

Fisher Facts
Fisher is a mammal that belongs to the family of weasels. This animal is native to North America. It can be found in the Canada and northern parts of the USA. Fisher inhabits dense coniferous and mixed forests. It is adapted to the life in cold, snowy terrains. Main threats for the survival of fishers in the wild are hunt (because of their fur), deforestation and habitat loss (due to urbanization). Despite these factors, fishers are numerous in the wild. These animals are not on the list of endangered species.
Interesting Fisher Facts:
Fisher can reach 30 to 40 inches in length and 4 to 14 pounds of weight. Males are much larger than females.
Fisher is covered with dark brown, nearly black fur. Head and shoulders are covered with light-colored fur with white tips that create grizzled appearance. Females have softer fur than males. Fur is glossy and dense during the winter and light-colored and less dense during the summer.
Fisher has slender body, short legs and long, bushy tail. Large paws are equipped with sharp, retractable claws (they can be hidden inside the paws) which facilitate climbing on the trees.
Fisher is mainly active during the night (nocturnal) and twilight (crepuscular animal).
Fisher mainly feeds on meat (it is a carnivore). Its diet is based on snowshoe hares, rabbits, mice, squirrels, shrews, porcupines and birds. It hunts the prey using the element of surprise. Fisher occasionally eats berries, fruit, mushroom and beechnuts.
Despite its name, fisher rarely eats fish.
Fisher rests in the crevices of rocks and abandoned nests of squirrels and birds (tree cavities) during the day.
Fisher is solitary and territorial animal. It occupies territory of 3 to 8 square miles (depending on the available sources of food).
Fisher produces hissing and growling sounds when it is threatened. Humans are main predators of fisher.
Fishers use substance from the gland in the hind paws to mark their trails during the breeding season (males and females can find each other thanks to this substance).
Mating season of fisher takes place during the April.
Females are able to delay pregnancy. Fertilized eggs will start to develop 9 to 10 months after copulation. Embryonic development lasts 50 days.
Females give birth to 1 to 4 kits (usually 3) in the dens in cavities of trees. Babies are blind and nearly naked at birth. Only mother takes care of the babies.
Kits depend on the mother's milk during the first 8 to 10 weeks of their life. After that period, they start to eat solid food. Young fishers become independent at the age of 5 months and reach sexual maturity at the age of one year.
Fisher can survive 10 years in the wild.


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