Distinguishing Features – Overall colouration, thick, lustrous fur, varying from dark brown to black; random whitish to cream coloured patches on chest. In winter, colouration tends to be darker. Legs, short; claws, semi-retractable.
Fisher Size
Male: .84 – 1.05 m (2.8 – 3.5 ft)
Female: .75 – .93 m (2.5 – 3.1 ft)
Habitat
Throughout Northwestern Ontario, preferring mature coniferous forests with heavy overhead canopy near water; stays clear of open areas.
Diet
Primarily a carnivore. The fisher is one of the few animals that will kill a porcupine. It will also eat anything else it can overwhelm; rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, birds, insects, reptiles, fish, crayfish and carrion; some berries, seeds and tips of ferns.
Notes
The fisher is a wide-ranging, year round hunter, preferring to venture out at night. Because it has few natural enemies, the fisher population has remained stable. A female will produce one litter of 2 – 3 offspring a year.