Fisher Cat Population Maine

Researchers in maine have found about a dozen cases of confirmed fisher predation on canada lynx and several more suspected cases in a four township area of maine.

Fisher cat population maine. The fisher has a weasel like body bushy tail tapered muzzle and low rounded ears. Fishers are agile swift and excellent climbers with the ability to turn their back feet nearly 180 degrees allowing them to climb head first down trees. The fisher is one of the only animals that can successfully attack kill and eat a porcupine. Fisher cat a fact of life in maine woods.

Only the river otter is larger. With long slender bodies their legs and tails are both black and they may have cream colored patch on their chests. It is a member of the weasel family. Criteria a this input consists of a 2 step process.

Fisher martes pennanti also called fisher cat black cat black fox or pékan north american carnivore of northern forests trapped for its valuable brownish black fur especially fine in the female. Step 1 compares the current. Fisher have become more adapted to living in forests in more suburban areas and are responsible for preying on local house cats. Criteria b are short term trends used to assess population stability.

The fisher is the second largest member of the weasel family found in massachusetts. Mclellan says that his team found about a dozen examples of fisher predation on lynx in their four township area of maine over the roughly 12 years of study and suspected a few more cases. Weeks after its blood curdling screams punctuate the night the ferocious beast is sighted. As cadot points out the only fisher cats in new hampshire are in manchester there s a roster full of them.

According to maine department of inland fisheries and wildlife wildlife biologist scott mcclellan the fishers involved in these kills attacked lynx bedded down in snowstorms with a quick powerful grip bite to the lynx s neck. Fisher populations are assessed separately for each management unit. Despite their name fishers do not hunt or eat. They are neither members of the feline family nor do they catch fish.

By charles thompson special to the telegram. Cadot also points to a study conducted by maine department of inland fisheries and. Although many people call them fisher cats the name is inappropriate. Criteria a are harvest and long term trend data to compare the present fisher population with the target 1985 population.

Fishers are elusive forest dwelling members of the weasel family with long slim bodies short legs rounded ears and bushy tails.