Defenders' Experts
Fisher
Fishers are members of the weasel family closely related to martens. They declined or became extinct in much of their range due to habitat loss and heavy trapping. Fisher populations have rebounded in the northeastern and Midwestern United States, but remain small and imperiled in their Northern Rockies and West Coast ranges. Protection and regeneration of its forest habitat, refuge from trapping, and reintroduction efforts are critical to restore the fisher to the western U.S.
June 29, 2011 – In response to a petition filed by Defenders and others, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released its finding today that fishers in the Northern Rockies do not warrant federal protection.
In the Field
Defenders is in close contact with biologists studying fishers and is closely monitoring projects to ensure they are compatible with fishers.
Management and Policy
In both the Northern Rockies and their West Coast range, Defenders is working to secure adequate federal protections for fishers and their habitats, actively influencing policies and decisions affecting them—such as trapping in Montana, or logging on private lands in California—and preparing for changes to fisher habitat caused by climate change.
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