Pacific Fisher

A relative of the mink, otter, and marten, the Pacific Fisher inhabits old-growth forests and once ranged from British Columbia through Northern California. This elusive mammal was decimated by logging and early fur trapping, and only two native populations remain today—one near the western California/Oregon border, and one in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recently confirmed that the Pacific fisher “may be at significant risk of extinction” and that protection under the Endangered Species Act is “warranted.” However, the agency has refused to extend protection to the Pacific Fisher, stating that it is “precluded” by other agency priorities.