Happy New Year 2010 to fishers, the critter
Jan 11, 2010
The winter of 2009-2010 features the third and final winter of fisher releases. Pacific fishers, deep-forest hunter and smaller relative to the wolverine, are being reintroduced to Olympic National Park after an 80-year absence.
A fisher named Billy awaits his release to the Olympic Peninsula. The fishers are well fed their short time in captivity, ending up a "little Garfield-y," according to Marg Evans, translocation coordinator.
In December and January, kicking off the third and final winter of fisher releases, more Pacific fishers are being reintroduced to remote sites within Olympic National Park. The releases mark the return of these deep-forest hunters to their native state after an 80-year absence from Washington's wild lands.
Watch fisher #57 launch out of her transport box and into Olympics forest!
Reintroduction of fishers, a smaller relative to the wolverine, comes thanks to a strong team of government and non-government partners including Conservation Northwest, the Doris Duke Foundation, and the Wildlife Conservation Society.
The small mammals are trapped in winter in British Columbia where their numbers are strong and transported south to Washington. As in previous years, each released animal wears a small radio transmitter, allowing biologists to track and monitor its movements. Biologists continue to monitor two dozen fishers that were released during the past two winters. Three females last summer gave birth to at least seven kits. The animals seem to be thriving.
"With this release, the park’s new fisher population grows increasingly secure," said Dave Werntz, science and conservation director at Conservation Northwest. "It shows the amazing things we can accomplish when we work in common cause with state and federal partners."
Press release
