New Hampshire is focusing on the overall Health and population dynamics of fishers, a carnivorous, forest-dwelling animal commonly found throughout the state, with a project funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The state’s Fish and Game Department will partner with the University of New Hampshire to measure the survival, cause-specific mortality, and overall health of fishers, also known as fisher cats locally, through a project funded with over $2 million from the federal Wildlife Restoration Program.
The project aims to ensure that the furbearer species is maintained at a healthy and sustainable level, consistent with public expectation and the department’s mission. Historically, fishers have experienced variable population levels due to land conversion, habitat alteration, wildlife population dynamics, and unregulated harvest.
In New Hampshire, fishers can be both hunted and trapped, but trapping is a highly regulated activity. The number of fishers trapped each year has declined steadily since 2014, and in 2021, Fish and Game introduced additional regulations for fisher trapping, including the requirement that the lower jaw of each harvested fisher be submitted for further studies on population health and species dynamics. These regulations are aimed at ensuring the long-term health and sustainability of the fisher population in the state.
The project’s findings will have implications for the management of fishers in New Hampshire and will contribute to the overall understanding of the species’ population dynamics and health. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of wildlife conservation and management efforts in preserving the state’s natural biodiversity.
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