Mustelidae Spotlight: Fisher

When I came across the Fisher in my research, I went back to my blogs to find out if I had written about them. I said to myself, "Surely, I could not have forgotten the fishers." The truth was that I had actually forgotten these fine specimens of mustelidae. Oops. I really felt bad about this, because I did actually know about them. I passed over them several times because I had thought I had done a blog for them already. Once again: oops.

The fisher is a slightly chubby mustie living mostly in Canada. They have a body length of 47 inches and weigh about 6 pounds. Because of their natural habitat, they end up in a lot of snowy areas. I found it interesting that their feet are disproportionately larger than their legs which helps them walk on the snow. It's a lot like having snowshoes if you think about it.

I personally think fishers are adorable. They look like they would make a fine, cuddly plush animal. Their fur is pretty thick, which makes me want to hug them; although, I do not recommend doing that if you spot one. They might take a hug as some sort of local insult and try to bite your face off.

So, I'll give you one guess on what fishers like to eat. What could it possibly be? What do you think a fisher might want to chow down on? That's right! Chickens and mushrooms! Fishers do not eat fish, but hold on a moment! Did I say mushrooms? What is a mustie doing eating mushrooms?! Although it is very rare, fishers are actually omnivores. They are mostly known for hunting hares and porcupines, but they also go for various plants to add to the meals. The chickens they kill are often stolen from farms and are not really their natural prey.

Fishers prefer to be on their own and only group up for mating purposes. If you run into one, he'll probably watch you carefully. This creature does not really like trouble. If you approach him, he will probably run away, but if you corner a fisher, he will go on the offensive. They are not social animals at all. There has been a number of attacks on curious children who were probably trying to hug the cute things. Some animals just want to be left alone.

The fisher has been mentioned in several works of fiction. Unfortunately, I have not read most of them. In a book entitled, "Winter of the Fisher" by Cameron Langford, a recluse living in the forest frees a fisher from a trap and forms a not so perfect bond with him. The fisher is an animal shaman in the story "The Blood Jaguar" and a porcupine hunter in "Ereth's Birthday." My only personal fictional encounter with the fisher was in the comic book series "Mouse Guard." They are very dangerous solitary hunters who wear the carcasses of their victims as clothing, armor, and jewelry.

Between you and me, I tend to lean towards the way "Mouse Guard" explains things. The books really do a good job with their mustie and rodent lore. I like the idea of them being solitary savages. They hunt and kill for themselves only and greatly dislike any social interactions. I really like that! Still, it is a shame that I am not allowed to hug them.

Thank you for reading my blog! If you enjoyed it, you can comment below, or you can email me at tooie@tooiekangaroo.com. Snarl!