Rare animal seen in Ohio for first time in over 100 years in astonishing new footage
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Rare animal spotted in Ohio county for first time since the 1800s
- A wildlife camera in Ohio's Cleveland Metroparks recorded a fisher, marking the first confirmed sighting of the species in Cuyahoga County in over 100 years.
- Fishers, medium-sized mammals related to weasels, had largely disappeared from Ohio by the mid-19th century due to unregulated trapping and habitat loss.
- Park officials stated that the return of fishers, alongside other extirpated species, highlights the success of conservation efforts and the importance of healthy natural areas.
- While this is the first confirmed sighting in Cuyahoga County in over a century, more than 40 sightings have been reported across northeastern Ohio in recent years.
- The re-establishment of fishers in Ohio is largely attributed to successful reintroduction efforts in neighbouring Pennsylvania and West Virginia, with residents encouraged to report new sightings.