4 ms·

If you think beavers can be destructive, wait until meet a Fisher. Literal Rodents of unusual size and very ill tempered

mcv 3y ago
I have no idea what fishers do, and Wikipedia doesn't help. Could you tell us more?
- danielskogly 3y ago
  Looks like this one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher_(animal) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher_(animal) Although I'm not sure what OP refers to, other than them being a top predator.
  - mcv 3y ago
    As I alluded to, I'd found that page already. I'd like to know what they do that's more destructive than beavers flooding your land. Why single out the fisher like that? I mean, wolves and foxes can wreak havoc on farm animals, but at least they don't turn your land into a swamp.
    - pvaldes 3y ago
      It is cute indeed, like a big polecat, and "can be" tamed (As any other mustelid they can bite hard if they want or are treated bad). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ic7FyZV0M0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ic7FyZV0M0 A healthy ecosystem provides enough shelter to the preys for sustaining both preys and predator. It does not modify the ecosystem in the way than a beaver does. Not even close.
  - smcl 3y ago
    They do look very cute, as do all long-skinny forest or river animals (pine marten, weasels, stoats, otters)
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
madsbuch 3y ago
It always dissonates with me when people talk about animals being destructive. I don't really think it is our's to judge. I do, however, understand why it makes sense to keep some animals out of ones home.
- b112 3y ago
  I understand you, but at the same time, an individual beaver has far more environmental impact than an individual human. For example, it is very hard to build these days, without environmental assessments. The days are long gone, at least where I am, where you can build waterfront property and clear the shoreline of reeds and such. Which is fine! But my point is, a beaver colony turns a river into a marsh, kills grassland, endless trees both due to flooding and feeding, prevents water from flowing downstream, stops fish from spawning, utterly changing the landscape. If left unchallenged, they would do as goats do, destroy. People get upset if we remove one ecosystem for another, yet that's just what beavers do. All animals, including humans, are destructive. Some more than others. Life, other than humans, has shaped the environment more than we ever have. We didn't used to have o2 in the air before, and its addition caused mass extinction at the time! (note: I like living, and like my fellow humans, so want to stop large scale climate change... but I think we all need a bigger view sometimes)
  - myshpa 3y ago
    > If left unchallenged, they would do as goats do, destroy. Do not equate goats and beavers, their impact is not the same. Goat (and cattle) herds overgraze vegetation and kill the soil microbime by it, prevent afforestation and exacerbate soil erosion and desertification. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316721412_Blame_it_on_the_goats_Desertification_in_the_Near_East_during_the_Holocene https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316721412_Blame_it_... https://epar.evans.uw.edu/research/environmental-implications-livestock-goats https://epar.evans.uw.edu/research/environmental-implication... Beavers create wetlands - highly effective carbon sinks. By slowing down the flow of water, they reduce the risk of floods during heavy rains and ensure a steady water supply during drier periods. Diverse wetland habitats increase biodiversity, of both plant and animal species. During heavy rainfall, the dams can slow down and retain water, preventing downstream flooding. In times of drought, the dams help maintain water levels in streams and wetlands, providing a more stable water supply for plants and wildlife. Beaver ponds and wetlands can have a cooling effect on the surrounding landscape. The presence of water bodies can moderate local temperatures, reducing the risk of extreme heat events in the area. Beaver activity promotes soil health by increasing organic matter in wetland areas. The accumulation of organic material can improve soil fertility and water retention, benefiting vegetation and enhancing the overall health of the ecosystem. In areas where ecosystems have been degraded by human activities like deforestation or mining, beavers can play a role in restoring wetlands and improving the ecological conditions of the region. > we all need a bigger view sometimes Certainly.
DFHippie 3y ago
> Literal Rodents of unusual size Except they aren't literally rodents. They are mustelids.
pvaldes 3y ago
If we talk about the US native Fisher, this is a cat sized carnivore related with weasels, not a rodent. Not particularly destructive or constructive, apart of its common environmental services as predator.

mcv 3y ago

I have no idea what fishers do, and Wikipedia doesn't help. Could you tell us more?

danielskogly 3y ago
Looks like this one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher_(animal) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher_(animal) Although I'm not sure what OP refers to, other than them being a top predator.
- mcv 3y ago
  As I alluded to, I'd found that page already. I'd like to know what they do that's more destructive than beavers flooding your land. Why single out the fisher like that? I mean, wolves and foxes can wreak havoc on farm animals, but at least they don't turn your land into a swamp.
  - pvaldes 3y ago
    It is cute indeed, like a big polecat, and "can be" tamed (As any other mustelid they can bite hard if they want or are treated bad). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ic7FyZV0M0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ic7FyZV0M0 A healthy ecosystem provides enough shelter to the preys for sustaining both preys and predator. It does not modify the ecosystem in the way than a beaver does. Not even close.
- smcl 3y ago
  They do look very cute, as do all long-skinny forest or river animals (pine marten, weasels, stoats, otters)
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]

madsbuch 3y ago

It always dissonates with me when people talk about animals being destructive. I don't really think it is our's to judge. I do, however, understand why it makes sense to keep some animals out of ones home.

b112 3y ago
I understand you, but at the same time, an individual beaver has far more environmental impact than an individual human. For example, it is very hard to build these days, without environmental assessments. The days are long gone, at least where I am, where you can build waterfront property and clear the shoreline of reeds and such. Which is fine! But my point is, a beaver colony turns a river into a marsh, kills grassland, endless trees both due to flooding and feeding, prevents water from flowing downstream, stops fish from spawning, utterly changing the landscape. If left unchallenged, they would do as goats do, destroy. People get upset if we remove one ecosystem for another, yet that's just what beavers do. All animals, including humans, are destructive. Some more than others. Life, other than humans, has shaped the environment more than we ever have. We didn't used to have o2 in the air before, and its addition caused mass extinction at the time! (note: I like living, and like my fellow humans, so want to stop large scale climate change... but I think we all need a bigger view sometimes)
- myshpa 3y ago
  > If left unchallenged, they would do as goats do, destroy. Do not equate goats and beavers, their impact is not the same. Goat (and cattle) herds overgraze vegetation and kill the soil microbime by it, prevent afforestation and exacerbate soil erosion and desertification. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316721412_Blame_it_on_the_goats_Desertification_in_the_Near_East_during_the_Holocene https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316721412_Blame_it_... https://epar.evans.uw.edu/research/environmental-implications-livestock-goats https://epar.evans.uw.edu/research/environmental-implication... Beavers create wetlands - highly effective carbon sinks. By slowing down the flow of water, they reduce the risk of floods during heavy rains and ensure a steady water supply during drier periods. Diverse wetland habitats increase biodiversity, of both plant and animal species. During heavy rainfall, the dams can slow down and retain water, preventing downstream flooding. In times of drought, the dams help maintain water levels in streams and wetlands, providing a more stable water supply for plants and wildlife. Beaver ponds and wetlands can have a cooling effect on the surrounding landscape. The presence of water bodies can moderate local temperatures, reducing the risk of extreme heat events in the area. Beaver activity promotes soil health by increasing organic matter in wetland areas. The accumulation of organic material can improve soil fertility and water retention, benefiting vegetation and enhancing the overall health of the ecosystem. In areas where ecosystems have been degraded by human activities like deforestation or mining, beavers can play a role in restoring wetlands and improving the ecological conditions of the region. > we all need a bigger view sometimes Certainly.

DFHippie 3y ago

> Literal Rodents of unusual size Except they aren't literally rodents. They are mustelids.

pvaldes 3y ago

If we talk about the US native Fisher, this is a cat sized carnivore related with weasels, not a rodent. Not particularly destructive or constructive, apart of its common environmental services as predator.