Rare Forest Carnivore Study Report

Last week, Michael Lucid and Lacy Robinson, from Idaho Fish and Game gave a presentation on the results of this winter’s Rare Forest Carnivore Study.  This week, we have a copy of their report to share with you.

Evidence of Lynx was found in the Purcell Mountain location.  Wolverine images were found in the Selkirks and Wolverine tracks were found in the West Cabinets.  Marten and Ermine were abundant. Those crazy Mustelids! But, perhaps the most exciting find is the number of Fisher which call the West Cabinets home.

Based on a look at the photo images, Michael and Lacy believe that 17 individual Fishers visited study locations in the West Cabinets.  DNA testing, not yet complete, will verify the overall number and tell us something more about the origin of these individuals as well as the potential overall size of the population.

We do know these Fisher are widespread – they visited 8 of the 10 study locations in the vicinity of the Scotchmans. And we do know they are reproducing – a picture of two young Fisher kits on the same tree was full of hope and promise.

You can read the full report on our website:

www.scotchmanpeaks.org/pdfs/Forest_carnivore_2011_update.pdf

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About The Author:

Phil Hough is the Executive Director of the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness.

He has hiked the "triple crown": the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest trail (twice). He has also paddled the length of the Yukon river. Phil's love of wilderness guides him as he works to save the incrediblly wild Scotchman Peaks, one of the last and largest roadless places in northern Idaho and western Montana.

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Comments

  1. Will be curious to see if the fishers are descendants of those transplanted into the Cabinets in the late 80’s or there abouts.

  2. […] in the Selkirk and West Cabinet mountains of Idaho last year and plans to do so again this winter. Last year’s project yielded camera trap images of at least one gulo in the Selkirks, and tracks of another in the West […]

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