Finally, a good photo of a fisher

Fisher climbs a white cedar tree

 

Of all the creatures in the Boreal Forest, this has been the most difficult one for me to capture on camera: the Canadian Fisher.

It is a member of the weasel family, twice the size and four times the weight of a marten. Its prey includes everything from mice to snowshoe hares and porcupines. In fact, it may be the only creature to kill porcupines. Bill Stupack, the original owner of Bow Narrows Camp, told me he once saw this happen.

The fisher tracked the porcupine to a tree and immediately climbed to where the porcupine was clinging. The fisher powered itself underneath the big rodent making it lose its grip and fall. It landed on its back and, according to Bill, the fisher was upon its soft, quill-less belly before it could right itself.