Here's What a Fisher Looks Like Up Close

Last week a resident shared a photo of a fisher, whose shape could just be made out in the distance along a tree line outside Fawn Hollow School. Monroe Animal Control Officer Ed Risko shared a photo of a fisher taken up close when it was caught in a trap intended for another animal in 2008.

The following are some facts about fishers from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection.

A Weasel: The fisher is a large member of the Mustelidae (weasel family).

What's in a Name?: Its name is inappropriate, because the animal rarely eats fish. The name may be derived from "fitch", the European polecat, a species familiar to early settlers who may have seen a resemblance or mistaken a fisher for a polecat.

In French, the pelt of a polecat is called "fiche", "ficheux" or "fichet", names that are familiar to "fisher". Common names include fisher cat, black cat and pekan.

Habitat: Large tracts of coniferous or mixed hardwood-softwood forests containing large trees for denning.

Weight: Males: 8 to 10 pounds; females: 4 to 6 pounds.

Length: Males: 36 to 40 inches; females: 30 to 36 inches.

Diet: Squirrels, rabbits, mice, voles, carrion, fruits, mast (primarily beechnuts), porcupines, birds and frogs.

Identification: The fisher's long, slender body, short legs and elongated, bushy tail are usually dark brown to nearly black. The tail, rump and feet are darkest in contrast to the head and shoulders, which are lighter in color and often grizzled in appearance, especially in males. Some individuals have a white chest patch.

Fisher have five toes on each foot and semi-retractable claws, which contribute to their ability to climb trees.

Range: Southeastern Alaska to Hudson Bay, through Canada, south to the northern United States. Also in the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming and the Sierra Nevada in California.

A Few Interesting Facts:

Fishers became scarce in Connecticut in the 19th century due to forest logging and clearing for agriculture. Reforestation and changes in land use practices restored the fisher's habitat. In 1988, the DEP Wildlife Division led a project that successfully established the fisher population in the northwestern region of the state.

Because fisher seldom travel in open areas and tend to be nocturnal, they are rarely seen by humans.

Fishers do not stalk or chase prey, but rely on surprising their quarry.