# Fisher (*Pekania pennanti*)

> The fisher (Pekania pennanti) is a large arboreal mustelid of northern forests in Canada and the northern United States, capable of preying on porcupines. Adults weigh about 4 kg, hunt snowshoe hares and squirrels, and are listed Least Concern after recolonisation of New England and parts of the Rockies following earlier overtrapping.

- **Category:** Mammal
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Northern forests of Canada and the northern United States; recovering in New England and the Rockies.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/fisher/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Carnivora
- **Family:** Mustelidae
- **Genus:** Pekania

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Pekania pennanti |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Habitat | Mature coniferous and mixed forests |
| Lifespan | Around 7 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity). |
| Weight | About 4 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary). |
| Top speed | Up to roughly 25 km/h when moving at speed. |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## Porcupine specialist mustelid

Fishers attack porcupines by circling to bite the face, then flip the prey — a rare skill among carnivores. Long bodies and sharp claws aid tree climbing. Despite the name, they do not specially eat fish.

## Hares, squirrels, and carrion

Diet includes snowshoe hares, squirrels, birds, carrion, and fruits. They cache kills and travel large home ranges through mature forest. Across its range it is tied to mature coniferous and mixed forests, and field accounts emphasise this species’ distinctive ecology rather than generic habitat labels.

## Northern mixed forests

Mature coniferous and mixed forests of Canada and the northern United States, with recovering populations in New England and portions of the Rockies.

## Trapping history and recovery

Overtrapping and deforestation once erased fishers from much of the Northeast; reintroductions and regulated harvest restored Least Concern status in many areas.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do fishers eat fish?

Rarely — the name likely comes from the French "fiche" or from "fisher cat" folk names; they are mammal hunters of the forest.

### How do fishers kill porcupines?

They repeatedly attack the unprotected face, then flip the porcupine to access the soft belly.

### Are fishers related to cats?

No — they are mustelids (weasel family), not felines.

### Why were fishers reintroduced?

To restore a native predator and help control porcupine damage after local extinction from trapping.

### Where do fishers live?

Northern forests of Canada and the northern United States. Native range summary: Northern forests of Canada and the northern United States; recovering in New England and the Rockies.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/fisher/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.