The results of this proposed project would provide the first comprehensive identification of fisher distribution in the northern Rocky Mountains, which may serve as a baseline for identifying population trends and changes in distribution over time.
A species distribution model will be constructed, using field data collected to date, that relates fisher presence observations to environmental variables (i.e., spring snow cover, minimum spring temperatures, annual rainfall, topographic position, elevation, and others). These environmental predictors will provide an indication of the contemporary distribution and environmental requirements of the species in the northern Rocky Mountains. Down-scaled global climate models will be used to predict how the species habitat distribution may change over time.
