Fisher
Last Update/Review: June 3, 2002
Martes pennanti
Also known as "Fisher cat," "Pennant's cat" and "Pecan," this animal does not fish nor is it a cat. The Chippewan Indians knew it best and called it "Tha-cho" or "Big Marten." Both marten and fisher live in the same areas and are similar in appearance. The fisher is darker and larger than the marten, reaching 5 kilograms (12 pounds) in weight and 90 to 125 centimetres in length. It is possibly the swiftest and most agile of the weasel family. Fisher inhabit the mixedwood, foothill and montane zones.
Whereas the marten can overtake the red squirrel, the fisher can overtake the marten and can out run the snowshoe hare. Their diet varies from small birds, rodents, lynx, fox, raccoon and porcupine to young deer and bighorn sheep. They are nocturnal hunters and are active all year. Due to their agility, both on the ground and in trees, fisher have virtually no natural enemies. Mating occurs in April, a week after the female has given birth to two or three young.
Trapping
In 2000-2001, Alberta trappers produced 1764 fisher pelts at a mean price of $39.13 per pelt, or a total production for the province of $69 025.
Fisher are trapped from early November to late January in the foothills and boreal forests of central and northern Alberta. Fisher pelts are in their prime from early November to mid-January.
