A relative of the mink, otter, and marten, the Pacific fisher inhabits old-growth forests and once ranged from British Columbia through northern California and the Sierra Nevada. This elusive mammal was decimated by logging and early fur trapping, and only two native populations remain today--one around the western California/Oregon border, and one in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains. These small populations are at serious risk of extinction, but the Bush Administration has decided to leave the Pacific fisher vulnerable and unprotected, and the case for this ancient forest denizen is soon headed back to federal court.
 | Fishers are shy, solitary mammals that rely on the deep cover of ancient forests | ![]() | | Photo: Pacific Biodiversity Institute |
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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) 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 then refused to extend protection to the Pacific fisher, abruptly stating that it is "precluded" by other agency priorities. On August 3, EPIC and other groups formally notified the FWS that we intend to challenge this decision in federal court, charging that it is contrary to the facts before the agency and the laws it must uphold.
The FWS's findings came in response to a scientific petition that was authored by the Center for Biological Diversity on behalf of EPIC and other conservation organizations in December 2000. It took a lengthy court battle to force the FWS to finally issue the required findings on our petition--a battle that has become all too familiar under the current administration.
For the first time in the history of the Endangered Species Act, the Bush Administration has not listed a single species as threatened or endangered without being forced to do so through petitions and/or litigation. And without a doubt, this administration also holds the worst record for the number of imperiled species it has listed while in office. Under Bush Jr., the FWS has listed a total of only 31 species--fewer than either the Bush Sr. or Reagan Administrations averaged each year.
A "warranted but precluded" determination (like the one the FWS made for the fisher) is only allowed if the FWS is making "expeditious progress" towards listing other species. Given the facts, this is certainly not a legitimate defense that FWS can claim. EPIC is confident that this flimsy excuse to withhold protection from the Pacific fisher will not withstand our legal challenge, and we are determined to see that this elusive mammal--and its ancient forest habitat--survives to see that day.
Species Profile
Pacific Fisher
(Martes pennanti pacifica)
- Dens in rotting logs, hollow trees, and rocky crevices of old growth forests
- Can rotate hind feet 180 degrees to run down tree trunks
- Home range is 50 to 150 sq. miles
- Mostly nocturnal
- Sole predator of porcupines
- Doesn't eat fish, contrary to name
- Diverse diet includes small mammals, fruit, truffles, and plants
