A photo of what is believed to be a fisher cat in a tree on a property on East Raders Lane in Lower Saucon Township (Contributed photo)
A few neighbors who live near Hickory Hill Road and East Raders Lane in Lower Saucon Township are determined to see a fisher cat that’s been seen prowling their neighborhood captured; so determined that they’ve paid a private conservationist to set up humane wildlife traps in the area of several recent sightings.
F.X. Felix Wildlife Solutions of Center Valley specializes in the “humane removal of nuisance wildlife” according to their website, and has a mission to resolve “human-animal conflicts.”
“I believe in providing a service that is professional and respectful to both my customers and the animals I deal with,” Fran Felix said in his company’s mission statement, published on the website. “I want to complete each service call knowing that I have not only solved the problem but I educated my customers about wildlife. I am aware of the fear, stress and discomfort that wildlife has caused my customers, so my goal is to be effective, prompt and thorough with my service as possible.”
Lindsay Conard, who lives in the area of the sightings and is one of the neighbors who have contracted Felix to set up the traps, said the Have-A-Heart-type metal cages are located on her property as well as a property across the street.
“We have had at least three sightings in my neighborhood,” she said. “Should (Felix) catch it, he will relocate it to a safer area up in the Poconos.”
Conard also shared a photograph of what appears to be a fisher in a tree, which she said her husband, Sean Heiserman, took recently.
“I have sent it to several experts who have confirmed that it is indeed a fisher,” she said.
Conard said neighbors in the area should be aware that the fishers seem to be attracted to bird feeders–especially hummingbird feeders.
“It has destroyed three hummingbird feeders in our yard,” she said of the elusive creature, which resembles a weasel but is known to occasionally attack pets.
Protecting pets was the primary motivation for bringing in a wildlife conservation company such as F.X. Felix Wildlife Solutions, she said.
“We have…paid him to (trap the fisher cat) in the interest of keeping area pets and children safe,” Conard stated.
The Lower Saucon Township Police Department is aware of the traps being set up and know that any calls about possible fisher sightings they receive can be directed to the trapper, she added.
The phone number for the Lower Sauon Township Police Department is 610-759-2200 (Northampton County’s non-emergency number). The number for F.X. Felix Wildlife Solutions is 484-225-2261.
Fishers are are small carnivorous mammals who are members of the mustelid family.
They are native to Canada and the northern tier of much of the United States, but have recently migrated as far south as eastern Pennsylvania.
