Researchers at the Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Olympic Field Station, have been involved in fisher restoration to Washington’s Olympic Peninsula since 2008, when fishers were reintroduced to the peninsula following decades of extirpation.
Researchers from the FRESC Olympic Field Station are collaborating with the Makah Tribe Forestry and Wildlife Biologists to monitor habitat use of radio-collared fishers, estimate fisher density, and quantify distribution and abundance of key prey species. The study area includes the Makah Reservation, Makah land in fee status, a portion of the coastal strip of Olympic National Park, the north end of Lake Ozette, and surrounding private timber land. The goal of this study is to compare the use of managed and unmanaged forest habitats by fishers and refine population estimates and genetic data. This information will help managers balance efforts to recover fisher populations while maintaining sustainable timber operations. Previous work has documented fisher movements and habitat selection following introduction, examined genetics of the restored fisher population, and estimated peninsula-wide fisher use in relation to key habitat characteristics.
Read more about fisher reintroductions on the National Park Service website: Fisher Reintroduction - Olympic National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)



If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Post-release point locations and survival history of fishers translocated from British Columbia to Olympic National Park, Washington, 2008-2010
Fisher (Pekania pennanti) detections and analysis covariates on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, 2013-2016
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Post-release survival of translocated fishers: Implications for translocation success
Factors influencing the post-release movements of translocated fishers: Implications for translocation success
Diet composition of Fishers (Pekania pennanti) reintroduced on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington
Occupancy patterns in a reintroduced fisher population during reestablishment
Evaluation of fisher (Pekania pennanti) restoration in Olympic National Park and the Olympic Recovery Area: 2015 final annual progress report
Landscape-scale habitat selection by fishers translocated to the Olympic Peninsula of Washington
Timing of translocation influences birth rate and population dynamics in a forest carnivore
Evaluation of fisher (Pekania pennanti) restoration in Olympic National Park and the Olympic Recovery Area: 2014 annual progress report
Olympic Fisher Reintroduction Project: 2010 Progress Report
Olympic Fisher Reintroduction Project- 2009 Progress Report
Olympic Fisher Reintroduction Project: Progress report 2008-2011
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- Overview
Researchers at the Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Olympic Field Station, have been involved in fisher restoration to Washington’s Olympic Peninsula since 2008, when fishers were reintroduced to the peninsula following decades of extirpation.
Researchers from the FRESC Olympic Field Station are collaborating with the Makah Tribe Forestry and Wildlife Biologists to monitor habitat use of radio-collared fishers, estimate fisher density, and quantify distribution and abundance of key prey species. The study area includes the Makah Reservation, Makah land in fee status, a portion of the coastal strip of Olympic National Park, the north end of Lake Ozette, and surrounding private timber land. The goal of this study is to compare the use of managed and unmanaged forest habitats by fishers and refine population estimates and genetic data. This information will help managers balance efforts to recover fisher populations while maintaining sustainable timber operations. Previous work has documented fisher movements and habitat selection following introduction, examined genetics of the restored fisher population, and estimated peninsula-wide fisher use in relation to key habitat characteristics.
Read more about fisher reintroductions on the National Park Service website: Fisher Reintroduction - Olympic National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. Visit Media to see details.Kurt Jenkins, Scientist Emeritus at the Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, unloads a fisher at a release site in Olympic National Park. Sources/Usage: Public Domain. Visit Media to see details.Moments after release, a fisher runs towards the trees in the Staircase trailhead area. Sources/Usage: Public Domain. Visit Media to see details.This fisher was transported from Canada in an effort to reestablish a population in Washington State. - Data
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Post-release point locations and survival history of fishers translocated from British Columbia to Olympic National Park, Washington, 2008-2010
The data set includes point location data and survival status of 90 fishers that were translocated from central British Columbia, Canada, to Olympic National Park, Washington, 2008-2010.Fisher (Pekania pennanti) detections and analysis covariates on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, 2013-2016
From 2013-16 we deployed 3 motion-sensing cameras paired with hair (DNA)-snaring devices within each of 263 24-square kilometer primary sampling units distributed systematically across the Olympic Peninsula in northwestern Washington. The data set contains detection histories of fishers during each of 3 14-day sampling intervals at each hexagon. The data set also includes detectability and environ - Publications
If you are unable to access or download a product, email fresc_outreach@usgs.gov a request, including the full citation, or call (541) 750-1030.
Post-release survival of translocated fishers: Implications for translocation success
As a vital tool for the conservation of species at risk, translocations are also opportunities to identify factors that influence translocation success. We evaluated factors associated with post-release survival of 90 radio-tracked fishers (Pekania pennanti) translocated from central British Columbia, Canada, to the Olympic Peninsula of Washington, USA, from 2008 to 2011. We hypothesized that theFactors influencing the post-release movements of translocated fishers: Implications for translocation success
Long distance, post-release movements of translocated wildlife can be a key factor limiting translocation success. Yet, for many species, we have little or no understanding of factors that influence post-release movements. Translocations have been important for recovering fisher Pekania pennanti populations across the southern portion of their North American range. However, little is known abouDiet composition of Fishers (Pekania pennanti) reintroduced on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington
Knowledge of diet composition can inform management strategies and efforts to recover endangered carnivore populations in vacant portions of their historic ranges. One such species, the Fisher (Pekania pennanti), was extirpated in Washington State prior to any formal documentation of its food habits in the coastal coniferous forests of western Washington. Fisher recovery efforts in Washington, basOccupancy patterns in a reintroduced fisher population during reestablishment
Monitoring population performance in the years following species reintroductions is key to assessing population restoration success and evaluating assumptions made in planning species restoration programs. From 2008–2010 we translocated 90 fishers (Pekania pennanti) from British Columbia, Canada, to Washington's Olympic Peninsula, USA, providing the opportunity to evaluate modeling assumptions useEvaluation of fisher (Pekania pennanti) restoration in Olympic National Park and the Olympic Recovery Area: 2015 final annual progress report
With the translocation and release of 90 fishers (Pekania pennanti) from British Columbia to Olympic National Park during 2008–2010, the National Park Service (NPS) and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) accomplished the first phase of fisher restoration in Washington State. Beginning in 2013, we initiated a new research project to determine the current status of fishers on WashingtLandscape-scale habitat selection by fishers translocated to the Olympic Peninsula of Washington
The fisher was extirpated from much of the Pacific Northwestern United States during the mid- to late-1900s and is now proposed for federal listing as a threatened species in all or part of its west coast range. Following the translocation of 90 fishers from central British Columbia, Canada, to the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State from 2008 to 2010, we investigated the landscape-scale habitatTiming of translocation influences birth rate and population dynamics in a forest carnivore
Timing can be critical for many life history events of organisms. Consequently, the timing of management activities may affect individuals and populations in numerous and unforeseen ways. Translocations of organisms are used to restore or expand populations but the timing of translocations is largely unexplored as a factor influencing population success. We hypothesized that the process of transloEvaluation of fisher (Pekania pennanti) restoration in Olympic National Park and the Olympic Recovery Area: 2014 annual progress report
With the translocation and release of 90 fishers (Pekania pennanti) from British Columbia to Olympic National Park during 2008–2010, the National Park Service and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife accomplished the first phase of fisher restoration in Washington State. Beginning in 2013, we initiated a new research project to determine the current status of fishers on Washington’s OlympicOlympic Fisher Reintroduction Project: 2010 Progress Report
The 2010 progress report is a summary of the reintroduction, monitoring, and research efforts undertaken during the third year of the Olympic fisher reintroduction project. Jeffrey C. Lewis of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Patti J. Happe of Olympic National Park, and Kurt J. Jenkins of U. S. Geological Survey are the principal investigators of the monitoring and research program assoOlympic Fisher Reintroduction Project- 2009 Progress Report
The 2009 progress report is a summary of the reintroduction, monitoring, and research efforts undertaken during the first two years of the Olympic fisher reintroduction project. Jeffrey C. Lewis of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Patti J. Happe of Olympic National Park, and Kurt J. Jenkins of U. S. Geological Survey are the principal investigators of the monitoring and research programOlympic Fisher Reintroduction Project: Progress report 2008-2011
This progress report summarizes the final year of activities of Phase I of the Olympic fisher restoration project. The intent of the Olympic fisher reintroduction project is to reestablish a self-sustaining population of fishers on the Olympic Peninsula. To achieve this goal, the Olympic fisher reintroduction project released 90 fishers within Olympic National Park from 2008 to 2010. The reintrodu - News
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