On Dec. 3, biologists released seven fishers into the south Cascades, where the reclusive, cat-sized mammal hasn’t been seen for more than 70 years. The fisher is a member of the weasel family, which includes otters, badgers and wolverines. The animal was eliminated from Washington by the mid-1900s through over-trapping, and has been listed as an state endangered species since 1998.
The fishers were captured in central British Columbia, as were the 90 animals captured and released in Olympic National Park from 2008 to 2010. Those fishers are prospering, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife reported.
The plan is to release about 80 animals over the next two or three years in the south Cascades on federal lands, including Mount Rainier National Park. Releases in the north Cascades are scheduled tentatively for 2017 or 2018.
Fishers are native to the forests of Washington, preying on small mammals such as mountain beaver, squirrels and snowshoe hares, and are one of the few predators of porcupines.
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