A medium-sized, weasellike, carnivorous mammal classified in the family Mustelidae along with weasels, mink, martens, wolverines, otters, and badgers. Fishers (Martes pennanti) occur only in North America. They are found in forested areas of northern North America and southward in the Sierra Nevada Mountains to central California; and southward in the Appalachian Mountains to West Virginia. Their original range, which has been significantly reduced, particularly in the United States, nearly coincided with the combined distributions of northern hemlock, northern hardwood, western mountain, and boreal forests. The fisher is known sometimes as the Pekan, Pennant's marten, black cat, or American sable, although fisher appears to be the most popular name. Oddly enough, the animal does not fish.