Fall food habits and reproductive condition of fishers, Martes pennanti, in Vermont

Abstract

We examined 197 Fishers harvested in Vermont during December 1996, to determine (1) differences in diet among Fishers of different age, sex, mass, fat reserves, and female reproductive condition, and (2) differences in female reproductive condition among Fishers of different age, mass, and fat reserves. Fishers had a diverse diet, consuming 31 different items. Most of the diet was mammalian (72%), with avian prey (15%) and fruit (10%) of secondary importance. Diets were similar (P > 0.10; Morisita's index > 0.80) among Fishers of different ages (juvenile, yearling, adult), sex, body mass ( < 2, 2-3.5, > 3.5 kg), and fat reserves. Reproductive condition (i.e., number of corpora lutea) of females increased with age (P = 0.001), but did not depend on level of fat reserves (P = 0.297), body mass (P = 0.719), or diet (P = 0.665).