Cleveland Metroparks recently announced an exciting find on a trail cam placed in the greater Cleveland, Ohio-area parks system—a rare animal that scientists haven’t seen in the area since the 1800s. The animal is a fisher, a medium-sized carnivore in the same family as weasels, martens, and otters.
Videos by Outdoors
“Earlier this year, a fisher (Pekania pennanti) was recorded on a wildlife camera in Cleveland Metroparks and identified by Andy Burmesch, Cleveland Metroparks Wildlife Management Coordinator,” wrote Cleveland Metroparks in an Instagram post sharing the rare footage. “The Ohio Division of Wildlife confirmed that this sighting in Cleveland Metroparks is the first record in Cuyahoga County since the species originally disappeared in the 1800s.”
[RELATED: ‘You’d Have Better Luck Spotting a Unicorn’: Rare Animal in Alaska]
Cuyahoga County is also home to Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The Ohio Division of Wildlife says scientists estimate that the fisher was extirpated in Ohio by the mid-1800s as a result of unregulated harvest and loss of habitat.
Watch a rare animal caught on an Ohio trail cam here:
Header stock image of Cuyahoga National Park by ToddSm66/Getty Images
Best Trail Cameras to Watch Wildlife
- Best Overall: TACRACAM Reveal X Gen 2.0
- Best for Beginners: SPYPOINT LM2
- Best Premium: Cuddeback CuddeLink
- Best Budget: Stealth Cam Browtine
- Best for Birdwatching: Bird Buddy
Learn more about the best trail cams here.
Outdoors.com may earn a commission when you make a purchase through affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
