We generally don’t post photos of dead animals, but this striking picture of a fisher cat killed upon crossing Rte. 9 in Wellesley seemed worthy of sharing. While commonly referred to as fisher cats, the animals are actually called fishers, and are the second largest member of the weasel family found in the state, per Mass Audubon.
Hugh Johnson shared the photo with us: “This was a handsome wild animal, common in Massachusetts, but not often sighted. Just a reminder that we have wildlife in town and every new development takes something away from the habitat used by these animals. The fisher cat was given a burial…”
More on fishers in Wellesley:
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I disagree that “every new development takes something away from the habitat used by these animals.” In practice, most new developments in Wellesley take place on already-disturbed land. And many of the ones that are true greenfield projects (200 Pond Road, for example) are shot down before they get started.
Yes, most new developments in town still require some removal of earth and/or flora. But the alternatives to building infill projects in places like Wellesley are sprawling subdivisions in the 495 belt, which are ultimately worse for wildlife and the environment as a whole. This is one of the big reasons why sustainable development is so politically difficult: people tend not to like development right next door (thus the phrase “NIMBY”), but minimizing overall habitat destruction (and also traffic congestion, water usage, etc.) requires building more in the places that are already built upon.
It disturbs and takes away the habitat of animals that have adapted to living there.
Again, you need to consider the alternative. People need to live somewhere. Dense, multifamily housing in infill locations disturbs far less habitat and kills far fewer animals than the equivalent number of homes in the boonies. So would you rather displace or kill one fisher cat in Wellesley, or two fisher cats somewhere else? In its proper context, building more housing in Wellesley is often a good thing for the environment.