[Tweeters] Fisher in Pacific County

[Jeff Gilligan]

Thanks. I saw the photos of the Long Beach area Wolverine from 2002 when it was published in the Chinook Observer.  

The animal I saw was smaller, without any noticeable variation in the color of the fur - just dark brown.  I think the dramatically large tail in comparison to the  body size was also indicative of Fisher.

I saw a Long-tailed Weasel yesterday, and I am familiar with Mink (that I have seen quite a few times).  River Otters of course have non-bushy tails.  The habitat too was good for a Fisher.

My description of it being the size of a small dog meant something appearing about the size of a 20 pound dog.  My dog (with short hair) is 17 pounds, and smaller looking than the Fisher I saw.  The longer hair and huge tail of the Fisher may have given the impression of being a bigger animal than it was, but I have subsequently read that a Fisher varies from 6 to 25 pounds.  (I am not sure how there can be such a range.)  I read that a Wolverine varies between 25 and about 40 pounds.  I have never seen a Wolverine. 

As I understand, about 100 Fishers were released on the Olympic Peninsula, and others in The Cascades.  My biggest question is whether a few were released closer to here, or whether it might have drifted to the Long Beach Peninsula from The Olympic Peninsula or elsewhere.  The forested areas of the Long Beach Peninsula would have hosted Fishers before their likely extirpation, I think.  

https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/species/pekania-pennanti


Jeff




> On Sep 3, 2021, at 8:18 AM, Emily Winstrom <emily.winstrom at gmail.com> wrote:

> 

> We’re volunteering at Cape Disappointment State Park, and our ranger suggested another possibility: a wolverine.   A wolverine, or wolverines, have been spotted in the area, supported with photographic evidence.    This was in 2019.

> 

>     Emily Winstrom, Volunteer at Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, Resident of    Bellevue Washington

>