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95-626: The Monongahela National Forest includes some major landform features such as the Allegheny Front and the western portion of the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians . Within the forest boundaries lie some of the highest mountain peaks in the state, including the highest, Spruce Knob (4,863 ft). Spruce Knob is also the highest point in the Allegheny Mountains. Approximately 75 tree species are found in

190-793: A Reconnaissance Survey, to be conducted from January to September 2012, to "determine whether the historic, natural, and recreational resources in the project area are 'likely' or 'unlikely' to meet congressionally required criteria for the designation of potential units of the National Park System". Historic Civil War sites within the proposed park and preserve include the Rich Mountain Battlefield , Beverly Historic District , Cheat Summit Fort , Camp Bartow , and Camp Allegheny . The historic Blackwater Industrial Complex in Tucker County —preserving artifacts of

285-635: A broad, rocky plateau at an elevation of about 4,000 feet (1,200 m); Dan's Rock on Dans Mountain in Maryland at 2,895 feet (882 m); and Blue Knob in northern Bedford County, Pennsylvania , with an elevation greater than 3,120 feet (950 m). Local segments of the Eastern Continental Divide usually pass within a few miles of the Allegheny Front and in many places coincide with it; this divide between waters of

380-459: A fisher attacking a porcupine. In Winter of the Fisher , Cameron Langford relates a fictional encounter between a fisher and an aging recluse living in the forest. The recluse frees the fisher from a trap and nurses it back to health. The fisher tolerates the attention, but being a wild animal, returns to the forest when well enough. Langford uses the ecology and known habits of the fisher to weave

475-719: A fisher was blamed for an attack on a six-year-old boy. In another case, a fisher is believed to be responsible for an attack on a 12-year-old boy. Fishers have been trapped since the 18th century. They have been popular with trappers due to the value of their fur, which has been used for scarves and neck pieces. It is reported that fisher tails were used in the making of spodiks , a form of ceremonial hat worn by Jews of certain Hasidic sects. The best pelts are from winter trapping, with secondary-quality pelts from spring trapping. The lowest-quality furs come from out-of-season trapping when fishers are moulting. They are easily trapped, and

570-511: A large fisher in trees or on the ground. Fishers can also catch martens on the ground or in the trees, and usually there is either a good population of fisher or marten but not both. Researchers in Maine have found "about a dozen" cases of confirmed fisher predation on Canada lynx , and several more suspected cases, in a four-township area of Maine. According to Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife wildlife biologist Scott McClellan,

665-573: A new timber stand) occur on approximately 1,300 acres (5.3 km) yearly out of the more than 909,000 acres (3,680 km) forest total. Mineral resources located in the Monongahela National Forest include coal, gas, limestone , and gravel . Sheep and cattle grazing occurs on about 7,000 acres (28 km). Receipts for timber, grazing, land uses, minerals, and recreation use averaged $ 4,840,466 annually between FY92 and FY96, and 25% of that (an average of $ 1,210,116 per year)

760-532: A part of the divide between the Monongahela River and New River portions of the Ohio River watershed. Most of the Allegheny Front is capped by a nearly horizontal, erosion-resistant stratum (rock layer) of white Pottsville conglomerate , sometimes where flat with younger Carboniferous strata on top. The silica -cemented, gravel -containing Pottsville rock formed as part of a vast delta in

855-473: A porcupine onto its back and "scoop out its belly like a ripe melon". This was identified as an exaggerated misconception as early as 1966. Observational studies show that fishers make repeated biting attacks on the face of a porcupine and kill it after about 25–30 minutes. The female fisher begins to breed at about one year of age and her reproductive cycle is an almost year-long event. Mating takes place in late March to early April. Blastocyst implantation

950-533: A preference for riparian woodland habitat. Fishers tend to avoid areas with deep snow. Habitat is also affected by snow compaction and moisture content. Fishers are widespread throughout the northern forests of North America. They are present in the boreal and mixed deciduous-coniferous forest belt that runs across Canada from Nova Scotia in the east to the Pacific shore of British Columbia and north to Alaska. They are present as far north as Great Slave Lake in

1045-421: A shortened season and restricted bag limits. The population has steadily increased since then, with steadily increasing numbers of trapped animals, despite a much lower pelt value. Fishers have been captured live for fur farming , zoo specimens, and scientific research. From 1920–1946, pelt prices averaged about C$ 137. Since pelts were relatively valuable, attempts were made to raise fishers on farms. Fur farming

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1140-685: A study conducted by the Integral Ecology Research Center, UC Davis , U.S. Forest Service , and the Hoopa tribe showed that fishers in California were exposed to and killed by anticoagulant rodenticides associated with marijuana cultivation. In this study, 79% of fishers that were tested in California were exposed to an average of 1.61 different anticoagulant rodenticides, and four fishers died from this exposure. A 2015 follow-up study building on these data determined that

1235-618: A total of 17 more deer were released in the Flatrock-Roaring Plains area of the Forest. These releases served as the nucleus for reestablishing the healthy breeding populations of eastern West Virginia. (By the mid-1940s, deer were so numerous in the area that crop farmers had to patrol their fields by night.) In 1943 and 1944, as part of the West Virginia Maneuver Area , the U.S. Army used parts of

1330-414: A year. Female fishers give birth to a litter of three or four kits in the spring. They nurse and care for them until late summer, when they are old enough to set out on their own. Females enter estrus shortly after giving birth and leave the den to find a mate. Implantation of the blastocyst is delayed until the following spring, when they give birth and the cycle is renewed. Despite the name "fisher",

1425-406: Is 23 miles (37 km) long.) Recreation ranges from self-reliant treks in the wildernesses and backcountry areas, to rock climbing challenges, to traditional developed-site camping. Canoeing , hunting , trapping , fishing, and wildlife viewing are also common uses. The following are developed campgrounds in the forest: The forest administration maintains wildlife and timber programs aimed at

1520-600: Is a carnivorous mammal native to North America , a forest-dwelling creature whose range covers much of the boreal forest in Canada to the northern United States. It is a member of the mustelid family, and is the only living member of the genus Pekania . It is sometimes referred to as a fisher cat , although it is not a cat . The fisher is closely related to, but larger than, the American marten ( Martes americana ) and Pacific marten ( Martes caurina ). In some regions,

1615-402: Is limited by their size. Analyses of stomach contents and scat have found evidence of birds, small mammals, and even deer—the latter indicating that they are not averse to eating carrion . While the behavior is not common, fishers have been known to kill larger animals, such as wild turkey , raccoon , fox , marten , mink , otter , bobcat , and Canada lynx . Raccoons may be killed by

1710-753: Is little used in Maryland. The highest part of the crest of the Allegheny Front is also its southernmost high point, Mount Porte Crayon at 4,770 feet (1,450 m), on the Pendleton / Randolph county line in West Virginia. Its lowest point, 790 feet (240 m), is along the North Branch of the Potomac River near Keyser, West Virginia . Other high points along the front include the Dolly Sods Wilderness in West Virginia,

1805-523: Is located in Elkins, West Virginia . The Monongahela also includes four ranger districts. The forest includes 105 permanent employees, seasonal employees, and volunteers. Monongahela National Forest is currently divided into four ranger districts. The Cheat-Potomac and Marlinton-White Sulphur Springs were formed by combining their namesake districts; in the merged districts, the offices for both original districts were retained. The Monongahela National Forest

1900-510: Is readily accessible by a major road. The front is also a significant part of scenic views from various highways and mountains to its east, such as North Fork Mountain in West Virginia. The NedPower Mount Storm Wind Project in West Virginia includes 132 wind turbines along 12 miles (19 km) of the Allegheny Front in Grant County near Mount Storm . Constructed between 2006 and 2008, it generates up to 264 megawatts of electricity for

1995-475: Is spread over a greater distance (particularly considering stream meanders ) through the Appalachian Plateau to the Ohio River. These contrasting patterns of erosion produce a steep escarpment along much of the front's eastern edge, with the mountains west of the front generally grading more gently into the Appalachian Plateau. The nearly continuous high elevation and clifftop bedrock exposures of

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2090-797: Is strongly indicated to be related to the Asian finds, which suggests a migration. P. pennanti has been found as early as the Late Pleistocene era, about 125,000 years ago. No major differences are seen between the Pleistocene fisher and the modern fisher. Fossil evidence indicates that the fisher's range extended farther south than it does today. Three subspecies were identified by Goldman in 1935, Martes pennanti columbiana , M. p. pacifica , and M. p. pennanti . Later research has debated whether these subspecies could be positively identified. In 1959, E.M. Hagmeier concluded that

2185-560: Is then delayed for ten months until mid-February of the following year when active pregnancy begins. After gestating for about 50 days, the female gives birth to one to four kits. The female then enters estrus 7–10 days later and the breeding cycle begins again. Females den in hollow trees. Kits are born blind, helpless, and are partially covered with fine hair. Kits begin to crawl after about three weeks. After about seven weeks, they open their eyes. They start to climb after eight weeks. Kits are completely dependent on their mother's milk for

2280-492: The Allegheny Front results in 60 inches (1,500 mm) of annual precipitation on the west side and about half that on the east side. Headwaters of six major river systems are located within the forest: Monongahela , Potomac , Greenbrier , Elk , Tygart , and Gauley . Twelve rivers are currently under study for possible inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System . The main administrative headquarters

2375-639: The Appalachian Plateau at the Fairfax Stone, just south of Maryland's southwestern tip. No waterway crosses the front from east to west. The Allegheny Front begins in central Pennsylvania northwest of Lock Haven and extends southwest paralleling Bald Eagle Mountain and Brush Mountain to its east. The front continues to a point north of the Pennsylvania/Maryland boundary where it is offset about 10 miles (16 km) to

2470-662: The Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico separates the westward-flowing Ohio River watershed from the eastward-flowing watersheds of the Susquehanna , Potomac , and James rivers. Numerous eastward-flowing streams have their headwaters incised into Allegheny Front, displacing the divide westward from the front, including the North Branch of the Potomac River west of Cumberland, Maryland , which originates well into

2565-557: The Catskill Escarpment to the northeast and the Cumberland Escarpment to the southwest. The Allegheny Front extends for about 180 miles (290 km) southwesterly from south-central Pennsylvania through western Maryland , then divides the eastern panhandle of West Virginia from the rest of that state. The name "Allegheny Front" is applied to the escarpment throughout much of its extent, although it

2660-849: The Craig Run East Fork Rockshelter and Laurel Run Rockshelter in the Gauley Ranger District were listed on the National Register of Historic Places . In 2011 West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin requested the National Park Service study the feasibility of transferring the northern portions of Monongahela National Forest to the NPS, including the Spruce Knob–Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area ,

2755-490: The Dolly Sods Wilderness , and the Otter Creek Wilderness . Advocates had proposed the area be designated as High Allegheny National Park and Preserve. Interconnecting public lands would become Preserve Areas, where hunting would be allowed; and adjacent private working farms and forests would be eligible for voluntary Heritage Area conservation easements. In October 2011, the National Park Service announced

2850-765: The Horseshoe Curve track section west of Altoona , so that freight trains could ascend or descend to or from the Allegheny Plateau to the west. Substantial portions of the Allegheny Front's crest and slopes are parts of a national forest (the Monongahela in West Virginia) or various state, local, or private wildlands parks or preserves. The few readily accessible scenic viewpoints atop the Allegheny Front are popular tourist destinations. The Skyline Overlook along U.S. Route 50 in West Virginia

2945-800: The Northwest Territories and as far south as the mountains of Oregon. Isolated populations occur in the Sierra Nevada of California, throughout New England, in the Catskill mountains of New York and the Appalachian Mountains of Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, fishers were virtually eliminated from the southern and eastern parts of their range, including most American states and eastern Canada including Nova Scotia. Overtrapping and loss of forest habitat were

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3040-718: The Pacific Coast Ranges and the Klamath Mountains . Fishers are a protected species in Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. In Idaho and California, fishers are protected through a closed trapping season, but they are not afforded any specific protection; however, in California the fisher has been granted threatened status under the Endangered Species Act . In June 2011, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommended that fishers be removed from

3135-673: The Pennsylvanian period . The region was then uplifted and folded during the Alleghenian orogeny about 320-250 million years ago, during the Carboniferous and Permian periods, forming the modern Appalachian Mountains as the North American and African tectonic plates collided. Subsequent erosion (for more than 200 million years) has preferentially removed various softer surrounding rocks, especially

3230-665: The Sierra National Forest . Fishers had an average of 5.3 individual grow sites within their home range. One fisher had 16 individual grow sites within its territory. One of the first mentions of fishers in literature occurred in The Audubon Book of True Nature Stories . Robert Snyder relates a tale of his encounter with fishers in the woods of the Adirondack Mountains of New York. He recounts three sightings, including one where he witnessed

3325-532: The Spruce Knob–Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area . The Monongahela National Forest encompasses most of the southern third of the Allegheny Mountains range (a section of the vast Appalachian Mountains range) and is entirely within the state of West Virginia. Elevations within the Monongahela National Forest range from about 900 feet (270 m) at Petersburg to 4,863 feet (1,482 m) at Spruce Knob. A rain shadow effect caused by slopes of

3420-408: The "Monongahela National Forest". By the end of 1924, the Monongahela National Forest had total ownership of some 150,367 acres (609 km). Although white-tail deer never vanished from the Monongahela National Forest, from the 1890s to the 1920s their numbers dropped substantially. In January 1930, eight deer procured from Michigan were released into the forest near Parsons . From 1937 to 1939,

3515-564: The 18th century for their fur. Their pelts were in such demand that they became locally extinct in several parts of the United States in the early part of the 20th century. Conservation and protection measures have allowed the species to rebound, but their current range is still reduced from its historical limits. In the 1920s, when pelt prices were high, some fur farmers attempted to raise fishers. However, their unusual delayed reproduction made breeding difficult. When pelt prices fell in

3610-686: The 1980s, but an extensive survey in the 1990s did not locate any. Scattered fisher populations now exist in the Pacific Northwest. In 1961, fishers from British Columbia and Minnesota were reintroduced in Oregon to the southern Cascades near Klamath Falls and to the Wallowa Mountains near La Grande . From 1977 to 1980, fishers were introduced to the region around Crater Lake . Starting in January 2008, fishers were reintroduced into Washington State. The initial reintroduction

3705-445: The Allegheny Front provide an important corridor of upland habitat in the central Appalachian Mountains. During the fall, the Allegheny Front is associated with an important flyway for migratory birds traveling from their northern breeding grounds to their southern wintering sites. In good weather, the birds can be seen from late morning, when they take advantage of the thermals (rising pockets of warm air) to facilitate flying, until

3800-404: The Allegheny Front's geology southward; this ridge reaches an elevation of 4,863 feet (1,482 m) at Spruce Knob , West Virginia's highest point. Similarly steep escarpments sharing much of the same geologic structure are also present nearby along the eastern slopes of Allegheny Mountain and Back Allegheny Mountain (along with the southern end of Shavers Mountain ), but these mountains lack

3895-598: The Dolly Sods and an overlook along U.S. Route 50 in West Virginia . Since the eastern side of the front is drained by Chesapeake Bay stream that drop fairly rapidly through the Ridge and Valley Province to the low-elevation waters of the Great Appalachian Valley , erosion on the eastern slope of this caprock layer has been much more intense than on the western slope, where drainage to low elevations

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3990-584: The Monongahela National Forest as a practice artillery and mortar range and maneuver area before troops were sent to Europe to fight in World War II. Artillery and mortar shells shot into the area for practice are still occasionally found there today. Seneca Rocks and other area cliffs were also used for assault climbing instruction. This was the Army's only low-altitude climbing school. The fisher ( Pekania pennanti ), believed to have been exterminated in

4085-497: The NPS Director observed that some of Manchin's requests were incompatible with longstanding NPS policy, saying in part that "the continuation of extractive activities such as timber harvesting and oil and gas development would make the establishment of a national park infeasible". The forest is noted for its rugged landscape, views, blueberry thickets, highland bogs and " sods ", and open areas with exposed rocks. In addition to

4180-512: The North Fork River to the east, along the front's base. Many of these windswept cliff-edge outcrops are sparsely vegetated, with occasional one-sided ( flagged ) red spruce ( Picea rubens ) trees, and open habitats dominated by various low-growing Appalachian and boreal plant species. The long, steep, nearly continuous, often windswept escarpment of the Allegheny Front has both positive and negative effects on society and culture in

4275-810: The Potomac in West Virginia, the front continues through the Mount Storm area, then passes along the eastern edge of Dolly Sods, a wide plateau of Pottsville conglomerate bedrock at about 4,000 feet (1,200 m) elevation. From the Sods, the front continues southward as an increasingly steep escarpment west of the North Fork of the South Branch Potomac River , with the Roaring Plains West Wilderness continuing

4370-493: The Pottsville caps characteristic of the Allegheny Front. Allegheny Mountain's long, nearly level crest is generally about 4,000 to 4,200 feet (1,200 to 1,300 m) in elevation, with Paddy Knob reaching 4,477 feet (1,365 m). High points on Back Allegheny Mountain and adjacent Shavers Mountain include Gaudineer Knob (4,432 ft or 1,351 m) and Bald Knob (4,842 ft or 1,476 m); these two mountains form

4465-769: The actual divide from the headwaters of the Youghiogheny River draining northwards into the Monongahela and Ohio rivers. The Allegheny Front is one of the windiest spots east of the Mississippi , leading to the recent establishment of wind farming there. The Allegheny Front forms part of the Appalachian Structural Front , separating the Appalachian Plateau from the Appalachians' Ridge and Valley Province . The various other escarpments along this structural feature include

4560-497: The animal is not known to eat fish. The name is instead related to the word "fitch", meaning a European polecat ( Mustela putorius ) or pelt thereof, due to the resemblance to that animal. The name comes from colonial Dutch equivalent fisse or visse . In the French language, the pelt of a polecat is also called fiche or fichet . Alternatively, Dr. James DeKay, as reported by John James Audubon and John Bachman, claimed

4655-516: The central Appalachians region. Few roads or railroads cross the Allegheny Front, limiting transportation and communication between the regions to its east and west. Establishing passage of the front was key to the development of the U.S. railroad network during the second half of the 19th century, thereby connecting the Midwest by rail with the Atlantic seaboard . The Pennsylvania Railroad built

4750-553: The central pad of their hind paws marks plantar glands that give off a distinctive odor. Since these patches become enlarged during breeding season, they are likely used to make a scent trail to allow fishers to find each other so they can mate. Fishers are generalist predators. Although their primary prey is snowshoe hares and porcupines , they are also known to supplement their diet with insects, nuts, berries, and mushrooms. They have been observed eating small apples during winter. Since they are solitary hunters, their choice of prey

4845-426: The coal, coke and timber empire of early West Virginia entrepreneur and Senator Henry Gassaway Davis —would also be included. In early 2012 Senator Manchin dropped his request for the study. Commentators on Manchin's approach to the proposal had noted that "the senator seemed to be in favor of a possible NPS label in the area only if there were no changes in existing land use or management practices". In February 2012,

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4940-557: The construction of the Cape Cod Canal in the early 1900s, some reports have shown that populations have become re-established on Cape Cod , although the populations are likely smaller than the populations in the western part of New England. Fishers have had a long history of contact with humans, but most of it has been to the detriment of fisher populations. Unprovoked attacks on humans are extremely rare, but fishers will attack if they feel threatened or cornered. In one case,

5035-499: The easily dissolved Greenbrier limestone , leaving areas of the hard Pottsville conglomerate as a caprock protecting softer rock strata immediately beneath. The Pottsville outcrops conspicuously in various more exposed areas along the front's eastern edge. Many of these clifftops offer broad scenic views, unlike most mountaintops within the generally forested Appalachians, and the more readily accessible are popular tourist destinations, including Dan's Rock on Dans Mountain in Maryland and

5130-506: The east as it changes from the bold escarpment that characterized it west of Altoona to its more gentle rise in Maryland. Across the Mason–Dixon line in Maryland, the front becomes Dans Mountain , west of Cumberland , which reaches 2,895 feet (882 m) at Dan's Rock. Along Maryland's southern border, the North Branch of the Potomac River cuts down through the front at 790 feet (240 m) just west of Keyser, West Virginia . South of

5225-470: The endangered list in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Recent studies, as well as anecdotal evidence, show that fishers have begun making inroads into suburban backyards, farmland, and periurban areas in several US states and eastern Canada, as far south as most of northern Massachusetts , New York , Connecticut , Minnesota and Iowa , and even northwestern New Jersey . Having virtually disappeared after

5320-664: The first eight to ten weeks, after which they begin to switch to a solid diet. After four months, kits become intolerant of their litter mates, and at five months, the mother pushes them out on their own. After one year, juveniles will have established their own range. Fishers are generally crepuscular , being most active at dawn and dusk. They are active year-round, and are solitary, associating with other fishers only for mating. Males become more active during mating season. Females are least active during pregnancy and gradually increase activity after birth of their kits. A fisher's hunting range varies from 6.6 km (3 sq mi) in

5415-628: The fisher included bears ( Ursus spp ), coyotes ( Canis latrans ), golden eagles ( Aquila chrysaetos ), bald eagles ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus ), lynxes ( Lynx sp.), mountain lions ( Puma concolor ), wolverines ( Gulo gulo ), and possibly great horned owls ( Bubo virginianus ). Parasites of fishers include nematode Baylisascaris devosi , tapeworm Taenia sibirica , nematode Physaloptera sp., trematodes Alaria mustelae and Metorchis conjunctus , nematode Trichinella spiralis , and Molineus sp. Although fishers are competent tree climbers, they spend most of their time on

5510-417: The fisher is known as a pekan , derived from its name in the Abenaki language , or wejack , an Algonquian word (cf. Cree ocêk , Ojibwa ojiig ) borrowed by fur traders. Other Native American names for the fisher are Chipewyan thacho and Carrier chunihcho , both meaning "big marten", and Wabanaki uskool . Fishers have few predators besides humans. They have been trapped since

5605-650: The fishers died due to unknown causes. The second was released back into the wilderness of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. In some areas, fishers can become pests to farmers when they raid chicken coops, and instances of fishers preying on cats and small dogs have been reported. However, a 1979 study examined the stomach contents of all fishers trapped in the state of New Hampshire; cat hairs were found in only one of over 1,000 stomachs. An informal unfinished 2011 study in suburban upstate New York found no cat remains in 24 scat or stomach samples, and an earlier published study found no cat in 226 Massachusetts samples. In 2012,

5700-428: The fishers involved in these kills attacked lynx bedded down in snowstorms with a quick "powerful grip" bite to the lynx's neck. Signs of struggle indicated that some lynx attempted to defend themselves but McClellan states that "the fishers would finish the cats off pretty quickly. There was some struggle certainly, but it didn't appear to last very long. There were some broken branches, tufts of fur, and claw marks where

5795-735: The forest floor and prefer continuous forest to other habitats. They have been found in extensive conifer forests typical of the boreal forest, but are also common in mixed-hardwood and conifer forests. Fishers prefer areas with continuous overhead cover with greater than 80% coverage and avoid areas with less than 50% coverage. Fishers are more likely to be found in old-growth forests. Since female fishers require moderately large trees for denning, forests that have been heavily logged and have extensive second growth appear to be unsuitable for their needs. Fishers also select for forest floors with large amounts of coarse woody debris . In western forests, where fire regularly removes understory debris, fishers show

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5890-417: The forest. Almost all of the trees are a second growth forest , grown back after the land was heavily cut over around the start of the 20th century. Species for which the forest is important include red spruce ( Picea rubens ), balsam fir ( Abies balsamea ), and mountain ash ( Sorbus americana ). The Monongahela National Forest includes eight U.S. Wilderness Areas and several special-use areas, notably

5985-497: The fur goes through a moulting cycle. The fisher prefers to hunt in the full forest. Although an agile climber, it spends most of its time on the forest floor, where it prefers to forage around fallen trees. An omnivore , it feeds on a wide variety of small animals and occasionally on fruits and mushrooms. It prefers the snowshoe hare and is one of the few animals able to prey successfully on porcupines . Despite its common name, it rarely eats fish. The reproductive cycle lasts almost

6080-586: The genus Pekania are distinguished by their four premolar teeth on the upper and lower jaws. Its close relative Mustela has just three. The fisher has 38 teeth. The dentition formula is: 3.1.4.1 2.1.4.2 Some evidence shows that ancestors of the fisher migrated to North America during the Pliocene era between 2.5 and 5.0 million years ago. Two extinct mustelids, Pekania palaeosinensis and P. anderssoni , have been found in eastern Asia. The first true fisher, P. diluviana , has only been found in Middle Pleistocene North America. P. diluviana

6175-426: The high plateaus of the Dolly Sods area along the escarpment's crest. The Allegheny Front's southern end is Mount Porte Crayon (4,770 ft or 1,450 m), after which the land drops steeply to Seneca Creek , west of Seneca Rocks . South of Mount Porte Crayon and Seneca Creek, the Appalachian structural front is less clearly unified. Pottsville-capped Spruce Mountain , south and east of Seneca Creek, continues

6270-413: The late 1940s, most fisher farming ended. While fishers usually avoid human contact, encroachments into forest habitats have resulted in some conflicts. Male and female fishers look similar, but can be differentiated by size; males being up to twice as large as the females. The fur of the fisher varies seasonally, being denser and glossier in the winter. During the summer, the color becomes more mottled, as

6365-540: The late 1940s. Fishers have also been captured and bred by zoos, but they are not a common zoo species. Fishers are poor animals to exhibit because, in general, they hide from visitors all day. Some zoos have had difficulty keeping fishers alive since they are susceptible to many diseases in captivity. Yet at least one example shows a fisher kept in captivity that lived to be 10 years old, and another living to be about 14 years old, well beyond its natural lifespan of 7 years. In 1974, R.A. Powell raised two fisher kits for

6460-435: The lynx was trying to get away." The McClellan study in The Journal of Wildlife Management documents 14 fisher-caused mortalities of Canada lynx from 1999 to 2011 in northern Maine, and found that predation was the leading source of mortality of lynx in the study area (18 deaths, 14 by fisher). Fishers are one of the few predators that seek out and kill porcupines. Stories in popular literature indicate that fishers can flip

6555-476: The major southeast- or east-facing escarpment in the Allegheny Mountains in southern Pennsylvania , western Maryland , eastern West Virginia , and western Virginia . The Allegheny Front forms the boundary between the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians to its east and the Appalachian Plateau (locally called the Allegheny Plateau ) to its west. The Front is closely associated with the Appalachian Mountains ' Eastern Continental Divide , which in this area divides

6650-443: The mid-Atlantic power grid , enough to service about 66,000 homes and businesses. In December 2016, Save Our Allegheny Ridges, a group that opposes energy development on forested mountaintops, said in a news release that Invenergy plans to install a series of wind turbines atop Shaffer Mountain in Somerset County just a few miles north of the Allegheny Front Hawk Watch. Fisher (animal) The fisher ( Pekania pennanti )

6745-596: The name "fisher" may have been attributed to the animal's "singular fondness for the fish used to bait traps", although this may have been local lore. The Latin specific name pennanti honors Thomas Pennant , who described the fisher in 1771. Buffon had first described the creature in 1765, calling it a pekan . Pennant examined the same specimen, but called it a fisher, unaware of Buffon's earlier description. Other 18th-century scientists gave it similar names, such as Schreber , who named it Mustela canadensis , and Boddaert , who named it Mustela melanorhyncha . The fisher

6840-526: The near future. Between 1955 and 1985, some states had allowed limited trapping to resume. In areas where fishers were eliminated, porcupine populations subsequently increased. Areas with a high density of porcupines were found to have extensive damage to timber crops. In these cases, fishers were reintroduced by releasing adults relocated from other places into the forest. Once the fisher populations became re-established, porcupine numbers returned to natural levels. In Washington, fisher sightings were reported into

6935-422: The purpose of performing scientific research. His primary interest was an attempt to measure the activity of fishers to determine how much food the animals required to function. He did this by running them through treadmill exercises that simulated activity in the wild. He compared this to their food intake and used the data to estimate daily food requirements. The research lasted for two years. After one year, one of

7030-522: The reasons for the decline. Most states had placed restrictions on fisher trapping by the 1930s, coincidental with the end of the logging boom. A combination of forest regrowth in abandoned farmlands and improved forest management practices increased available habitat and allowed remnant populations to recover. Populations have since recovered sufficiently that the species is no longer endangered. Increasing forest cover in eastern North America means that fisher populations will remain sufficiently robust for

7125-609: The responsible management of a mixed-age forest. About 81 percent of the total forest area is closed canopy forest over 60 years of age. The tree species most valuable for timber and wildlife food in the Monongahela National Forest are black cherry and oaks . The forest's commercial timber sale program averages 30 mbf (thousand board feet) of timber sold per year with a yearly average value of $ 7.5 million. Various cutting techniques are used, from cutting single trees to clearcutting blocks up to 25 acres (100,000 m) in size. Regeneration cuts (clear-cuts or other treatments designed to start

7220-646: The second-growth forest trees, the wide range of botanical species found includes rhododendron , laurel on the moist west side of the Allegheny Front, and cactus and endemic shale barren species on the drier eastern slopes. There are 230 known species of birds inhabiting the Monongahela National Forest: 159 are known to breed there, 89 are Neotropical migrants; 71 transit the forest during migration, but do not breed there, and 17 non-breeding species are Neotropical. The Brooks Bird Club (BBC) conducts an annual bird banding and survey project in

7315-438: The southern part of their range due to overtrapping and alterations to their habitat. In New England, fishers, along with most other furbearers, were nearly exterminated due to unregulated trapping. Fishers became extirpated in many northern U.S. states after 1930, but were still abundant enough in Canada to maintain a harvest over 3,000 fishers per year. Limited protection was afforded in the early 20th century, but total protection

7410-549: The state by 1912, was reintroduced during the winter of 1969. At that time 23 fishers were translocated from New Hampshire to two sites within the boundaries of the Monongahela National Forest (at Canaan Mountain in Tucker County and Cranberry Glades in Pocahontas County). In 1980, and again in 2005, the Monongahela National Forest was the venue for the annual counterculture Rainbow Gathering . In 1993,

7505-662: The subspecies are not separable based on either fur or skull characteristics. Although some debate still exists, in general, the fisher is recognized to be a monotypic species with no extant subspecies. Fishers' bodies are long, thin, and low to the ground. The sexes have similar physical features, but they are sexually dimorphic in size, with the male being much larger than the female. Males are 90–120 cm (35–47 in) in total length and weigh 3.5–6.0 kg (8–13 lb). Females measure 75–95 cm (30–37 in) and weigh 2.0–2.5 kg (4–6 lb). Head and body lengths for both sexes range from 47–75 cm (19–30 in);

7600-440: The summer to 14.1 km (5 sq mi) in the winter. Ranges up to 20.0 km (8 sq mi) in the winter are possible depending on the quality of the habitat. Male and female fishers have overlapping territories. This behavior is imposed on females by males due to dominance in size and a male's desire to increase mating success. As far as is known, adult fishers are not regularly subject to predation. Predators of

7695-476: The tail adding a further 30–42 cm (12–17 in). The largest male fisher ever recorded weighed 9 kg (20 lb). The fisher's fur changes with the season and differs slightly between sexes. Males have coarser coats than females. In the early winter, the coats are dense and glossy, ranging from 30 mm (1 in) on the chest to 70 mm (3 in) on the back. The color ranges from deep brown to black, although it appears to be much blacker in

7790-442: The thermals cease in late afternoon. Among the bird-banding stations and migratory bird observatories associated with this flyway are: In the Dolly Sods Wilderness of West Virginia, and southward toward Mount Porte Crayon, the front is topped for more than 10 miles (16 km) by a broad, nearly flat plateau with many wide areas of exposed bedrock along the edge of the escarpment's 2,800-to-3,200-foot (850 to 980 m) drop to

7885-468: The toes, four central pads are on each foot. On the hind paws are coarse hairs that grow between the pads and the toes, giving them added traction when walking on slippery surfaces. Fishers have highly mobile ankle joints that can rotate their hind paws almost 180°, allowing them to maneuver well in trees and climb down head-first. The fisher is one of relatively few mammalian species with the ability to descend trees head-first. A circular patch of hair on

7980-402: The trend of exposure and mortality from these toxicants increased to 85%, that California fishers were now exposed to an average of 1.73 different anticoagulant rodenticides, and that 9 more fishers died, bringing the total to 13. The extent of marijuana cultivation within fishers' home ranges was highlighted in a 2013 study focusing on fisher survival and impacts from marijuana cultivation within

8075-566: The trout waters of West Virginia are within the forest. The Monongahela National Forest is a recreation destination and tourist attraction, hosting approximately 3 million visitors annually. The backwoods road and trail system is used for hiking , mountain biking , horse riding . Many miles of railroad grades are a link in the recreation use of the forest. (The longest is the Glady to Durbin West Fork Railroad Trail which

8170-727: The value of their fur was a particular incentive for catching this species. Prices for pelts have varied considerably over the past 100 years. They were highest in the 1920s and 1930s, when average prices were about US$ 100. In 1936, pelts were being offered for sale in New York City for $ 450–750 per pelt. Prices declined through the 1960s, but picked up again in the late 1970s. In 1979, the Hudson's Bay Company paid $ 410 for one female pelt. In 1999, 16,638 pelts were sold in Canada for C$ 449,307 at an average price of $ 27. Between 1900 and 1940, fishers were threatened with near extinction in

8265-904: The vicinity of Dolly Sods Scenic Area during migration (August – September). The forest provides habitat for 9 federally listed endangered or threatened species: 2 bird species, 2 bat species, 1 subspecies of flying squirrel, 1 salamander species, and 3 plant species. Fifty other species of rare/sensitive plants and animals also occur in the forest. Larger animals and game species found in the forest include black bear , wild turkey , white-tailed deer , gray and fox squirrels , rabbits , snowshoe hare , woodcock , and grouse . Limited waterfowl habitat exists in certain places. Furbearers include beaver , red and gray fox , bobcat , fisher , river otter , raccoon and mink . Other hunted species include coyotes , skunks , opossums , woodchucks , crows , and weasels . There are 12 species of game (pan) fish and 60 species of nongame or forage fish . Some 90% of

8360-680: The waters of the Ohio / Mississippi river system, flowing to the Gulf of Mexico , from rivers flowing into Chesapeake Bay and from there into the Atlantic Ocean . The Allegheny Front and the Eastern Continental Divide do not always coincide; for example, the North Branch of the Potomac River begins well west of the Front, at the Fairfax Stone near the southwestern tip of Maryland, about 10 miles (16 km) and across

8455-593: The winter when contrasted with white snow. From the face to the shoulders, fur can be hoary-gold or silver due to tricolored guard hairs. The underside of a fisher is almost completely brown except for randomly placed patches of white or cream-colored fur. In the summer, the fur color is more variable and may lighten considerably. Fishers undergo moulting starting in late summer and finishing by November or December. Fishers have five toes on each foot, with unsheathed, retractable claws. Their feet are large, making it easier for them to move on top of snow packs. In addition to

8550-455: Was established following the Weeks Act passage in 1911. This act authorized the purchase of land for long-term watershed protection and natural resource management following the massive cutting of the eastern forests in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1915, 7,200 acres (29 km) were acquired to begin the forest, called the "Monongahela Purchase", and on April 28, 1920, it became

8645-480: Was eventually placed in the genus Martes by Smith in 1843. In 2008, advances in DNA analysis allowed a more detailed study of the fisher's evolutionary history. The fisher and the genus Martes were determined to have descended from a common ancestor , but the fisher was distinct enough to put it in its own genus . It was decided to create the genus Pekania and reclassify the fisher as Pekania pennanti . Members of

8740-426: Was not given to the few remaining fishers until 1934. Closed seasons, habitat recovery, and reintroductions have restored fishers to much of their original range. Trapping resumed in the U.S. after 1962, once numbers had recovered sufficiently. During the early 1970s, the value of fisher pelts soared, leading to another population crash in 1976. After a few years of closed seasons, fisher trapping reopened in 1979 with

8835-569: Was on the Olympic peninsula (90 animals), with subsequent reintroductions into the south Cascade Mountains. The reintroduced animals are monitored by radio collars and remote cameras, and have been shown to be reproducing. From 2008 to 2011, about 40 fishers were reintroduced in the northern Sierra Nevada near Stirling City , complementing fisher populations in Yosemite National Park and along California's northern boundary between

8930-440: Was popular with other species such as mink and ermine , so the same techniques were thought to be applicable to fishers. However, farmers found it difficult to raise fishers due to their unusual reproductive cycle. In general, knowledge of delayed implantation in fishers was unknown at the time. Farmers noted that females mated in the spring but did not give birth. Due to declining pelt prices, most fisher farms closed operations by

9025-399: Was returned to counties that include Monongahela National Forest lands. This money is intended for use by local schools and roads. The remaining 75% each year is returned to the U.S. Treasury. Some 318 acres (1.29 km) of true old-growth forest have been documented within the Monongahela National Forest. The largest of these areas are: Allegheny Front The Allegheny Front is

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