The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is investigating the discovery of a deceased mammal near Kent State University, which may be a fisher, a species once considered extinct in the area. Fishers, resembling large minks, were hunted to near extinction in the United States in the 19th century. Despite their widespread extinction, there have been 40 confirmed sightings of fishers in northeastern Ohio since their disappearance.
Laurie Brown, a wildlife research technician with the Division of Wildlife, expressed excitement about the potential resurgence of fishers in the state. Pennsylvania’s successful reintroduction program may have contributed to the species’ expansion into Ohio.
Pennsylvania has established a fisher trapping season while implementing a management plan to ensure the animal’s continued presence in the state. Reintroduction programs in West Virginia and New York have also played a role in the fisher’s population recovery.
Fishers are commonly found in New England, Tennessee, the northern Great Lake states, the northern Rockies, and some West Coast populations. However, human-induced and natural factors continue to threaten the survival of various species globally.
Climate change poses a significant risk to an increasing number of species, as evidenced by the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which now includes 44,016 species facing extinction.
