A fisher has been spotted on surveillance cameras at Cleveland Metroparks in Ohio, marking the first time this medium-sized creature has been seen in over a century in the United States. Cleveland Metroparks shared the video on social media, expressing great excitement. These animals are native to North American forests and disappeared from Ohio in the mid-1800s, with their presence limited to Canada and the United States.

The Ohio Division of Wildlife verified that this sighting in Cleveland Metroparks is the first documented in Cuyahoga County since the species vanished in the 1800s. Designated as ‘Species of Special Interest’ by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the fisher was believed to have been eradicated in Ohio due to unregulated hunting and habitat loss in the mid-1800s.

The reappearance of fishers and other previously extinct species like otters, bobcats, and trumpeter swans reflects successful conservation endeavors and underscores the significance of maintaining healthy forests, wetlands, waterways, and natural areas within Cleveland Metroparks. Despite being commonly referred to as “fisher cats,” these creatures are not felines but are members of the weasel family.

According to Scenic Hudson, fishers are solitary creatures and, contrary to their name, they seldom consume fish. Their diet includes fruits, reptiles, amphibians, birds and their eggs, mushrooms, squirrels, and other small mammals.