Fierce, Furry Fishers Are Expanding Their Range—and Bulk
Facing few predators in the northeastern U.S., these cousins of the weasel are back and bigger than ever, a new study finds.
They're fierce. They're furry. They're cousins to the weasel. And they could be coming to a suburb near you.
According to a new study, fishers are starting to expand their range in places in the northeastern United States where they haven't lived for some 200 years, including places near people. And their range isn't the only thing that's growing: Recent examinations of eastern fisher skulls show that the predators are becoming bigger than their counterparts out West.
What's a fisher? Well, the first thing to know is that it doesn't eat fish. The name "fisher" is thought to have come from early American immigrants who noted the animal's resemblance to the European polecat, which was also called a "fitchet," "fitch," or "fitchew."
Fishers
