fisher

fisher, (Pekania pennanti), North American carnivore of northern forests (taiga), whose populations were trapped heavily during the 19th and early 20th centuries for its valuable brownish black fur (especially fine in the female). In the present day, fishers can be found coniferous, deciduous, and mixed forests across Canada, the American Upper Midwest and Northeast, and selected areas of the American West

The fisher is a member of the weasel family (Mustelidae). Although the species has been traditionally classified with the martens and sables in Genus Martes. 21st-century genetic studies revealed that martens and sables were more closely related to wolverines (Gulo gulo) than to fishers. Consequently, fishers were reassigned to their own genus.

Natural history

The fisher has a weasel-like body, bushy tail, tapered muzzle, and low rounded ears. Adults are usually 50–63 cm (20–25 inches) long, excluding the 33–42-cm (13–16.5-inch) tail, and weigh 1.4–6.8 kg (3–15 pounds). Males are larger and heavier than females.

Discover how ordinary objects work, and expand your understanding of the familiar.

SIGN UP

" height="20" alt="HEW Logo">

Thank you for signing up!"

Back to homepage

By clicking "Sign Up", you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Britannica Quiz

Ultimate Animals Quiz

The fisher hunts both on the ground and in trees, attacking various rodents (including porcupines) and other animals. Its diet also includes fruits and sometimes nuts. A litter contains one to five young, born after a gestation period of 338–358 days, including a delay before implantation of the fertilized egg in the wall of the uterus.

Conservation status

The International Union for Conservation of Nature considers the fisher to be a species of least concern. Population estimates suggest that more than 100,000 fishers remain in North America. Fur trapping resulted in declines across the continent until the early 1900s. Though populations in many areas have increased since then, the species remains vulnerable to habitat loss and fragmentation brought on by logging.