The fisher, native to the Olympic range, was trapped to extinction some 80 years ago. In 2008, wildlife biologists began an ambitious project to bring fishers back.
Over a three-year period, biologists relocated 90 fishers from Canada to the Olympic Peninsula. They tracked the first relocated animals with radio collars and were amazed at the distances they traveled, particularly the males. Though they wandered far, the males returned during breeding season. Encouraged by the success so far, biologists will expand the project. Later this year, state and national park officials will begin releasing the first of 160 planned fishers in the Cascades, including Mount Rainier and North Cascades national parks.
Join The Mountaineers as we present Patti Happe, wildlife branch chief for Olympic National Park, as she describes the 10-year multi-agency project that is returning the carnivore to its home ground. This Naturalists lecture is Wednesday, February 11 at 7pm at the Mountaineers Seattle Program Center.
More information about the lecture can be found here.
