About the Pacific Fisher

A member of the Weasel family, Pacific fishers are small carnivores with quick reflexes and excellent climbing skills.

Despite what their name might suggest, fishers do not eat fish but rather hares, rodents, and birds. They are also one of the few specialized hunters of porcupines.

Their litters range from one to four young, and newborns remain with their mothers from their birth in April until the beginning of fall. They prefer old trees for their dens within large stands of conifers or mixed tree types.

Although fishers are found in many regions of northern North America, they are rare in the Pacific Northwest as a result of over-hunting for their pelts, habitat loss due to human development and logging, as well as rodenticides often used in illegal marijuana cultivation. In 2016, wildlife agencies determined that although Pacific fishers are rare, no longer occupy the full extent of their historic range, and face significant threats, they are not immediately threatened with extinction. As a result, the Pacific fisher is not listed under the Endangered Species Act.

For more information: Defenders of Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Photography:

• Title Image of a Pacific fisher in a tree by Getty Images
• Photo #2 of a Pacific Fisher by USFWS Pacific Southwest Region

HABITATS

The Pacific fisher lives in the following habitats:

The Pacific fisher needs your help to preserve its natural habitat. Together, with Pacific Forest Trust and our network of partners, we can all protect the spaces this species needs to survive.

Conservation PROJECTS WITH
Pacific Fisher HABITATS

Pacific Forest Trust is dedicated to preserving natural habitats and forest systems where these animals can thrive. Explore some of our conservation projects and easements in and around the Pacific fisher habitat.