A fisher has been spotted on surveillance cameras at Cleveland Metroparks in Ohio, marking the first sighting of this medium-sized creature in over a century in the United States.
The footage was shared by Cleveland Metroparks on social media, expressing excitement as these animals are native to North American forests and disappeared from Ohio during the mid-1800s. They are exclusive to Canada and the United States, with no records of being found in Britain or elsewhere in Europe.
The Ohio Division of Wildlife confirmed that this sighting in Cleveland Metroparks is the first record in Cuyahoga County since the species disappeared in the 1800s. The fisher is classified as a ‘Species of Special Interest’ by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and experts believe it was wiped out in Ohio due to unregulated hunting and habitat loss in the mid-1800s.
The return of fishers and other species like otters, bobcats, and trumpeter swans in Cleveland Metroparks highlights the success of conservation efforts and underscores the significance of preserving healthy forests, wetlands, waterways, and natural areas.
Despite being commonly referred to as “fisher cats,” these creatures belong to the weasel family and do not actually consume fish. They are solitary animals with a diet that includes fruit, reptiles, amphibians, birds, bird eggs, mushrooms, squirrels, and other mammals.