"And now a trip to one of the parks around Cleveland, Ohio. Underneath a canopy of trees, an elusive animal scampers into the view of a local wildlife camera. It's a fisher, a mammal once native to the area that was thought to be gone from the state, but yesterday, Cleveland Metro Parks announced its first confirmed sighting of the animal in well over 100 years."
"Fishers are about the size of a large cat and described as reclusive and even mysterious. Think of a weasel or an otter. Fishers are in the same family. They have dark fur with splotches of white, pointy snouts and long bushy tails. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) KATIE DENNISON: They've got very long tails, so they can be from 2 feet long to 4 feet long, but about half of that length is their tail."
Cleveland Metro Parks confirmed a fisher sighting in a park near Cleveland, the first verified observation in Ohio in over 100 years. Fishers are medium-sized mustelids about the size of a large cat with dark fur, white splotches, pointed snouts, and long bushy tails. Dozens of reported sightings have occurred across Ohio during the past decade, including a prior sighting in a more remote county. The fisher's reappearance complements other regional recoveries such as bald eagles and wild turkeys, suggesting improving habitat conditions. Residents of Cleveland and nearby counties are encouraged to watch for returning fishers.
Read at www.npr.org
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