Trail camera captures rare footage of small animal that hasn't been seen since the 1800s: 'Tremendously exciting'

A trail camera captured video of a mammal species native to Ohio that seemingly disappeared from the region in the mid-1800s. 

The camera caught a glimpse of a fisher in Cleveland Metroparks. 

In an Instagram post, Cleveland Metroparks (@clevemetroparks) shared thrilling trail camera footage of the elusive animal. 

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A post shared by Cleveland Metroparks (@clevemetroparks)

Andy Burmesch, a wildlife management coordinator for Cleveland Metroparks, identified the animal as a fisher — or Pekania pennanti, according to its scientific name. 

Fishers hadn't been seen in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, for well over a century. 

"This is tremendously exciting, as this is yet another extirpated native Ohio mammal species to be documented for the first time in Cleveland Metroparks," the post read in part. 

"The return of fishers and other extirpated species like otters, bobcats and trumpeter swans are a result of conservation efforts and emphasize the importance of our healthy forests, wetlands, waterways and natural areas in Cleveland Metroparks."

Trail camera clips like these are encouraging, in part because they're an extremely effective way to document the continued existence of species once believed to be extinct.

They are also incredibly useful tools for conservationists to gauge the health of threatened and endangered species and assess the success of ongoing rehabilitation efforts. 

Drones and trail cameras capture what simple human observation often cannot, and these tools provide proof of species resilience and ecological progress. 

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Meanwhile, other trail cameras have captured rare and first-ever scenes featuring elusive monkeys, unique platypuses, and tiny, rare foxes in the wild.

Followers were excited to learn about the reemergence of fishers in Ohio and shared their feedback in the Instagram post's comments. 

Cleveland Metroparks addressed questions and comments about how the fishers might have re-emerged, citing reintroduction and breeding programs in Pennsylvania and New York. 

"We have them on our property, 110 miles from here in PA," one person commented. "The PA game commission reintroduced them in PA."

"I'm in the Catskills of NY, and I have them on my property," another user wrote. "During deer season a month ago, I saw one in the daytime. Usually, I see them on a trail cam at night."

"Happy they came over this way!" a third replied.

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