Elusive fisher and kits captured on Westmoreland County trail cam
The wildlife camera company PixCams has been keeping tabs on fishers in the Murrysville area since one was caught on footage last July. As the large weasel-like creature continued to appear, it was believed that it had taken up residence somewhere nearby the camera.
PixCams on Sunday shared four new clips of the fishers, including one that appears to show two kits playing and knocking the camera over on the afternoon of July 5. Experts say it's especially exciting because it confirms there's a breeding pair in the area.
Fishers are elusive and secretive creatures that were once extirpated in Pennsylvania, meaning they were extinct in the state.
Fishers are mid-sized carnivores that primarily eat small mammals like squirrels, chipmunks and mice. They're also renowned for their ability to prey upon porcupines. And while there is evidence of fisher predation on white-tailed deer, the Game Commission says the effects are thought to be limited.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission says fishers disappeared from the state sometime around the nineteenth century, though it's hard to pinpoint exactly when because the creatures are so secretive and records are scarce.
It's believed fishers were distributed throughout most of the state before intensive deforestation during the nineteenth century. Historical accounts also suggest that populations initially began to decline in southwestern Pennsylvania due to early colonial development, the Game Commission says.
Pennsylvania's current-day fisher population is the result of natural expansion from neighboring states in the 70s and reintroduction programs in the 90s.
"Today, fisher populations are well established and increasing throughout southwestern, central and northern regions of the state, and fisher have become established even in some rural and suburban habitats once thought unsuitable for this adaptive forest carnivore," the Game Commission says on its website.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Wayward Webster lizard captured after weekslong search
A homecoming in Webster on Monday after a wayward lizard was finally found by wildlife experts. 'Goose,' a missing water monitor lizard was captured a few days ago when authorities got a call from a resident walking through Douglas State Forest. The resident spotted the five-foot-long reptile and snapped a photo of him. An animal rescue group raced to the scene, setting up baited traps with hard-boiled eggs, raw chicken, and other treats. Naturally, Goose couldn't resist and wandered into the trap. He was captured and reported to be in good health, thus ending the Goose chase. Goose is now in the custody of the Rainforest Reptile Shows. He'll be heading to the vet for a full exam and checkup on Tuesday. 'He's oh-so curious and starting to feel more comfortable around people again,' the reptile rescue business said. 'We're excited to see his progress and share it with everyone!' Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Nature reserve was once an industrial landscape of smoke and steam
Found on the Hampshire coast, the Lymington Nature Reserve isn't just a haven for wildlife, it's a place with a history vastly different from today's settings. For over 2,000 years, this area was a hub of sea salt production, with the industry flourishing by medieval times and peaking in the early 18th century with 163 active saltpans. The marshes were an industrial landscape of smoke and steam, a far cry from today's tranquil scenes, as can be seen in these pictures by Echo Camera Club member Trevor Parsons. The last saltern closed in 1865, leaving behind unique archaeological remnants that tell a story of human ingenuity and toil. The pivotal shift towards conservation began in the mid-20th century. The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust started its involvement in 1961, establishing a private nature reserve on 20 acres of salterns. Read more: Bournemouth stonemason stopped bones being stolen from grave Cherished park in Bournemouth shaped by centuries of shared ownership Memories of a much-loved pub that was demolished to make way for flats Mystery of how town's oldest pub got its name The many links between Bournemouth and the Titanic This was swiftly followed by Hampshire County Council's "far-sighted policy" of land acquisition, beginning in 1974, to protect these vital coastal habitats from rapid development. Today, the combined Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes Local Nature Reserve spans more than 1200 hectares, a mosaic of mudflats, salt marshes, shingle banks, and saline lagoons. Its ecological importance is underscored by international designations like Ramsar and Special Protection Area status, vital for countless bird species and rare invertebrates. Yet, this dynamic coastal environment faces ongoing challenges, from coastal squeeze and rising sea levels to declining breeding bird populations, highlighting the continuous need for adaptive management and dedicated stewardship.
CBS News
5 hours ago
- CBS News
Nearly 9,000 teachers in Pennsylvania left the profession in 2024. Experts reveal possible reasons why.
Like a math problem on a final exam, the question of why teachers are leaving the profession is complex. But unlike an exam, there isn't one right answer to the problem. "In our world, we have a ton of problems, and there's hardly ever one band-aid solution that'll work," Yazmin Dalsimer, a former teacher in Pittsburgh, said. Stagnant teacher salaries, poor working conditions, opportunities in higher-paying careers and a lack of support for new teachers are factors in the subtraction. "Why would I subject myself to this?" Professor Edward Fuller said. "I can go work somewhere else and make about the same money and not have to deal with that?" Fuller teaches future educators at Penn State's Center for Education Evaluation and Policy Analysis. He also studies why people do not become teachers. "College has become increasingly expensive," Fuller said. "When tuition goes up, now it's like, well, I'm going to go into a profession that doesn't pay great." Last year, nearly 9,000 teachers left the profession in Pennsylvania, about 7% of teachers working in the commonwealth. That's an improvement because the year before, 9,500 left. And the number of newly-certified teachers is nowhere near what it'll take to replace them, as just 5,600 certifications were issued last year. "There are so many obstacles, not just in Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh, all over the country," Dalsimer said. "Why would anybody want to be a teacher?" Dalsimer taught for more than 10 years in New York City before moving to Pittsburgh in 2017. She eventually got a job teaching at an elementary school in Larimer, where she worked until 2022. "There's just not enough compensation for the amount that teachers have to do," she said. "I had kids who had learning disabilities, health issues like diabetes, and parents needed support." One stopgap measure school districts are increasingly turning to is emergency certifications that do not require a teacher to have gone through a program or spent time as a student teacher. "We can flood schools with teachers," Fuller said. "They won't teach very well, but we'll have more than enough teachers, and that's what we have now in Pennsylvania. We have over 8,000 people on emergency permits. But they're not certified to teach." Fuller said in southwestern Pennsylvania, the teacher shortage is "not as bad" as it could be. "Part of it is because nobody's moving to the western part, right? So, it's easier," Fuller said. "You don't have to find additional teachers on top of the ones you already have." In Allegheny County, where there are more than 10,700 teachers, the Pennsylvania Department of Education estimates there's a shortage of 397, with 3% of teachers on emergency permits. Compare that to Philadelphia, where there's a shortage of nearly 3,600 teachers, with nearly 25% on emergency permits. Dalsimer said beyond the baseline of better salaries, young teachers need mentors and support. "How are we compensating and thinking about compensating teachers that want to coach younger teachers?" Dalsimer said. "How are we compensating younger teachers who are great leaders, grow quickly and want to be a part of admin?" One approach is certifying more teachers and paying them while they're learning. Last year, lawmakers increased funding to $20 million to support more than 2,100 student teachers with $10,000 stipends. However, the state says more than 4,000 student teachers applied. Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed budget for 2025-26 would double the program's funding to $40 million, but the budget is still in front of the legislature, past its deadline by more than a month. "That's what I mean by we're not prioritizing education in this country," Dalsimer said. "If we would, we would see more for teachers to be able to get through the certification requirements, these things that cost money. We would see their salaries going up higher." Fuller says the impact of having more qualified teachers in classrooms is enormous on kids' education outcomes. He says research continually shows that, aside from parents, teachers are the most important factor in influencing student learning.
