For the first time in more than a century, a native wild mammal once thought absent from northeastern Ohio has been captured on camera, thrilling wildlife experts and conservationists. Earlier this year, a trail camera in Cuyahoga County recorded a fisher (Pekania pennanti) moving through a forested park, marking the first verified sighting of this elusive species in the county since the mid-1800s. The discovery points to the success of decades of habitat restoration and wildlife protection efforts across the state.
Rediscovery in Cuyahoga County
The fisher is a medium-sized mammal in the weasel family, known for its secretive habits and impressive adaptability to forest environments. Historically, fishers were native to Ohio, but their numbers plummeted in the 1800s due to unregulated trapping and widespread habitat loss. Officials from the Ohio Division of Wildlife say this animal had been extirpated — locally wiped out — from much of the state by the mid-19th century.
The recent footage from Cleveland Metroparks represents the first confirmed sighting specifically in Cuyahoga County since that time. Wildlife cameras placed along wooded trails captured the animal earlier this year, with park staff later identifying it as a fisher. The park system shared the footage publicly in December, generating widespread excitement among residents and biologists alike.
What Makes the Fisher Special
Fishers are part of the Mustelidae family, which includes weasels, martens, and otters. They are solitary, agile hunters that thrive in mature forests with plenty of understory and fallen logs. An adult fisher typically measures between 30 and 40 inches in length, including a long, bushy tail, and has dense dark brown fur. Their diet consists of small mammals, birds, insects, and occasionally fruits.
In the wild, fishers are known for being elusive and difficult to observe directly. Their comeback in parts of Ohio has been gradual, with occasional sightings reported in various counties since 2013. However, this is the first time a sighting has been confirmed within the metropolitan parks of Cuyahoga County, where human-wildlife interactions are far more common.
Conservation Efforts Behind the Return
The fisher’s reappearance highlights the positive results of targeted conservation measures in Ohio. Over the last several decades, forest regeneration, land protection, and stricter wildlife management practices have helped restore critical habitat for native species. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources lists the fisher as a “Species of Special Interest,” emphasizing both its rarity and the need for ongoing habitat conservation…