mink becoming rare while fisher increases (1 Viewer)

M

maersk

Well-known member

• May 9, 2005

• #1

mink are becoming rare in my area (kalamazoo) cause of all the toxic crap they dumped in the kalamazoo river during the 1960's-70's, in fact there is a local program to get the species numbers up, but it still has a long way to go. sad to see an animal that was so common around here become almost extinct......


fishers are however, doing quite well in the northern part of the state and are even expanding their range to the south. maybe ill get to see one around here in my lifetime.

 

Keithec

'Green Scum'

• May 9, 2005

• #2

maersk said:

mink are becoming rare in my area (kalamazoo) cause of all the toxic crap they dumped in the kalamazoo river during the 1960's-70's, in fact there is a local program to get the species numbers up, but it still has a long way to go. sad to see an animal that was so common around here become almost extinct......


fishers are however, doing quite well in the northern part of the state and are even expanding their range to the south. maybe ill get to see one around here in my lifetime.

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We could send you some of the ones we have in the U.K. which I think are the same species!! We want rid of them because they are an alien species here and are seriously affecting at least one native species of mammal. Perhaps we could do a swap for some house sparrows which are similarly a pest in some parts of the U.S.A. but are native here and declining!!!

Keith

P.S. What are fishers?

 

Keith Reeder

Watch the birdie...

• May 9, 2005

• #3

Keith,

a fisher is a type of North American marten.

 

M

maersk

Well-known member

• May 9, 2005

• #4

haha, yea, we could give you TONS of house sparrows. they litterally SWARM around here.

 

M

maersk

Well-known member

• May 9, 2005

• #5

and yes, fishers are just big dark martens. the biggest species of marten in fact. the size of a mid sized dog, only on short legs.

 

M

maersk

Well-known member

• May 9, 2005

• #6

there are also rapidly expanding populations of stone martens in wisconsin and illinois. they where introduced there from spain in the 1960's to provide a new species to fur-farm, however they escaped and estabilished themselves here.

 

Ronald Zee

Well-known member

• May 9, 2005

• #7

maersk said:

however they escaped and estabilished themselves here.

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Hi Maersk

Now where have I read this before.

I wonder how many species of animals that were taken to another country for what ever purposes escaped and established themselves.

If the Martens are doing better than the minks they are probably hardier.

 

M

maersk

Well-known member

• May 9, 2005

• #8

actually mink are fairly abundant in the surrounding areas, just not on the kalamazoo river. all the PCPs dumped into the river by the paper mills almost killed the river and its only in the past 10 years that its been cleaned up.

 

D

dampflippers

Well-known member

• May 13, 2005

• #9

Please can we fill the rest of the mink crate we are sending with the grey squirrels you kindly supplied us with too!!
Now, if we could send the rabbits back to their rightful owner too, that would be great!

 

David FG

The Big Dipper

• May 13, 2005

• #10

maersk said:

and yes, fishers are just big dark martens. the biggest species of marten in fact. the size of a mid sized dog, only on short legs.

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I seem to remember reading somewhere that the name has nothing to do with fish or fishing, but it was named after a person called Fisher, and was originally Fisher's Marten.

Have I got that right, or am I losing it entirely?

 

M

maersk

Well-known member

• May 13, 2005

• #11

your right, fishers almost never actually eat fish (unless they find it onshore) im not sure where the name comes from, i think a guy named pennant discovered it (hence the scientific name, martes pennanti) they are very well known as the only preadator that regularly kills and eats porcupines. (by flipping them on their back and ripping them open)

 

S

scuba0095

Well-known member

• May 20, 2005

• #12

Hello we have recently got a HUGe fisher population also but like the coyotes here they are VERY peoploe shy and tend to stay out in the country areas I know fishers will kill foxes and their cubs but what is the relationship between them and raccoonns? both animals are extremly powerful and can have fearce dispostions id lo