Fisher Cat Size report
Fisher cat (scientific name: Martes pennanti), also known as fishermarten or pekan, is similar to a ferret with a fluffy tail, five toes, and retractable claws. It is a rare carnivore living in the northern forests of North America. It is often trapped to obtain its precious light brown-black fur. The female's fur is exceptionally high-quality.
Martes pennanti prefer habitats with high canopies. Like a habitat with many hollow trees. It usually lives in forest areas with spruce, fir, white cedar, and some hardwoods. In addition, their habitat preference also reflects the local prey that they depend on and eat.
What needs to be clear is that a fisher cat is not a cat breed. Fishers are members of the weasel family. They are shy and elusive but can be found throughout Massachusetts. The following article introduced more details about these cute animals, including their size, habit, and personality.
Fisher Cat Basics
Due to its alert, secretive nature and solitary habits, most people have never seen these interesting predators. Due to agricultural land clearing, Martes pennanti disappeared from the state by the 19th Century. Fishers have since made a fantastic comeback and now live in populated areas that offer mature forest habitat and the squirrels it preys on.
Food: They are fascinating predators. The fisher cat is active day and night, remains active year-round and does not hibernate. They are good at hunting on the ground and trees, hunting down various rodents, including porcupines and other animals, and the food also includes fleshy fruits. Although it is called the fisher, it seldom eats fish unless it steals the fish that people catch.
Life: They reach sexual maturity at one year of age and usually produce their first litter at two. Fishers breed from February to March. Females have one litter each year, consisting of 1–4 kits. The young are born helpless, blind, and sparsely furred. The female nurses the kits until they reach four months of age. By five months of age, the kits are approximately the same size as the adult female and have begun to know how to hunt prey.
Common name | Fisher cat |
Other names | Fisher, black cat, black fox, and pekan |
Habitat | Forests in North America |
Predators | Bobcats, lynxes, foxes, and hawks |
Prey | Rodents, hares, shrews, porcupines, birds, fruits, mushrooms, and nuts |
Name Of Young | Kits |
Gestation Period | 10-12 months |
Group Behavior | Solitary |
Biggest Threat | Hunting and habitat loss |
Most Distinctive Feature | The dense, luxurious coat of fur |
Age of Sexual Maturity | 1-2 years |
Age of Weaning | 8-16 weeks |
Fisher Cat Size Description
The fisher cat is one of the largest members of the Mustelid or weasel family. Fishers exhibit sexual dimorphism, physical differences in body size between females and males.
- Adult males weigh 3 to 16 pounds(1.4-6.8 kg) and measure approximately 20-25 inches (50-63 cm) in length, excluding the tail.
- Adult females weigh 4 to 6 pounds and measure approximately 2 feet in length.
- In both sexes, the tail accounts for approximately one-third of the total body length, and their tail can reach 13–16.5 inches (33–42cm) long.
- Its coat color is generally a rich brown to black with grizzled grayish coloring on the head and shoulders. Females typically have the darkest fur. Individuals may have white patches of fur on their chest and lower abdomen.
Weight | Length | Tail Length | Height | Lifespan | Color | Skin Type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1.4-6.8kg (3-16lbs) | 50-63cm (20-25in) | 33-42cm (13-16.5in) | Up to 30cm (12in) | Up to 10 years | Brown, Black, White, Gold, Silver | Fur |
Suppose you live in the countryside in North America. In that case, problems with fisher cats may sometimes arise but are usually restricted to predatory attacks on domestic birds, rabbits, and free-ranging house cats. Fishers are an important and valuable natural resource in Massachusetts, and you do not have the right to kill or trap them personally.