The Ohio Department of Natural Resources found proof that a forest-dwelling mammal called a fisher might be colonizing Ohio.
A female fisher was collected as roadkill in February 2023 in Ashtabula County. ODNR Division of Wildlife biologists recently confirmed the animal was pregnant .
Fishers — part of the weasel family — were eradicated in Ohio in the mid-1800s. Their re-emergence in the state was recorded for the first time in 2013.
Since then, 40 fishers have been confirmed spotted in nine northeast Ohio counties.
The Division of Wildlife anticipates natural reproduction in fishers will be confirmed in the coming years or may already be occurring.
The state relies in part on public reports to monitor Ohio’s growing fisher population, as well as black bears, badgers, weasels, and bobcats.
Report observations of these species, including photos or videos, to the Division of Wildlife via the HuntFish OH mobile app or at wildohio.gov. Please contact your county wildlife officer to report roadkill fishers. ODNR said people are not permitted to collect roadkill carcasses.
