ASHTABULA COUNTY, Ohio — An animal that hasn't been seen in Ohio in nearly 200 years is back. The fisher is a member of the weasel family, and it has been spotted recently in Ashtabula County.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources said the fisher was extirpated from Northeast Ohio, which means it was rooted out or completely destroyed.
A retired veterinarian and owner of the Snowy Oak Tree Farm found the animal in his driveway off State Route 167 in Ashtabula County. Paul Mechling said he was stunned to see the fisher, who had been hit by a car, and reported the animal to the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
"I said, wow, this is a fisher right here in my driveway," said Mechling.
"Unfortunately, she had been hit on the road before she was able to give birth. Just the fact that she was in the state and pregnant is a positive sign for the potential future of this species in Ohio," said Katie Dennison, Wildlife Biologist with the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
Since Mechling's discovery in 2023, other fishers have been spotted on trail cameras and by the Ohio Division of Wildlife trail cameras.
"They've got very long tails, so they can be from two feet long to four feet long but about half of that length is their tail. As far as weight, they're about the size of a house cat, so they're not as big as they sound when I say two to four feet long," said Dennison.
The animal is a predator who hunts small mammals like mice and squirrels. It can pose a threat to small dogs, cats, chickens and even some livestock.
"There is also some potential for conflict with livestock. Fisher tend to want to stay away from areas where people are anyway, so we don't expect that to be a big problem but just making sure your livestock is closed up at night can be a good way to prevent any sort of conflicts with wildlife," said Dennison.
With only 40 confirmed sightings by the Ohio Division of Wildlife since 2013, fishers are known to stay away from people.
"I was sort of surprised because they're a very reclusive animal. You don't see very many of them," said Mechling.
Biologists believe the animals' comeback is a good sign for Ohio's forests, "It's nice to see everything coming back, you know. The bald eagles have come back, the wild turkeys have come back, just a lot of things have come back, and the fishers are one of them," said Mechling.
If you believe you saw a fisher or have a picture of one on a trail camera, send it to the Ohio Division of Wildlife here.
For decades, organizations have been working to clean up Northeast Ohio's environment, hoping to see resulting resurgence in the ecosystem. One of the other animals also making a comeback is the river otter.
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