A recent incident in Princeton highlighted the need for better public outreach regarding carnivores in New Jersey. A woman trapped an unidentified animal in her yard which was then taken into custody by animal control officers. At this point, it was believed that the animal was a fisher (Martes pennanti) and held captive due to its unbelievable rarity. The account was then published in the local newspaper with little to no fact checking or consultation with wildlife experts. Upon examination by NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife personnel the animal was identified as a mink (Mustela vison), which are relatively common in this region. Unfortunately by this time, the mink had died as a result of stress and other factors.
Due to their elusive and nocturnal behavior, the carnivores of New Jersey are virtually unknown to most people. Along with fishers and mink, otters, bobcats, coyotes, weasels, skunks, raccoons, foxes, and black bears are other carnivores important to maintaining a healthy ecosystem. If the people of New Jersey knew about the amazing variety of wildlife present in their state I believe improved conservation efforts would be made toward acquiring and protecting habitat. A quote by African environmentalist Baba Dioum poignantly summarizes the situation: “In the end we will conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught.” And being that almost nothing is being taught regarding carnivores in New Jersey, we are fighting an uphill battle for their conservation. In the future, more emphasis needs to be placed on the critical role of carnivores in balancing prey populations as well as their inherent aesthetic appeal and natural place in our forests.
Due to their elusive and nocturnal behavior, the carnivores of New Jersey are virtually unknown to most people. Along with fishers and mink, otters, bobcats, coyotes, weasels, skunks, raccoons, foxes, and black bears are other carnivores important to maintaining a healthy ecosystem. If the people of New Jersey knew about the amazing variety of wildlife present in their state I believe improved conservation efforts would be made toward acquiring and protecting habitat. A quote by African environmentalist Baba Dioum poignantly summarizes the situation: “In the end we will conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught.” And being that almost nothing is being taught regarding carnivores in New Jersey, we are fighting an uphill battle for their conservation. In the future, more emphasis needs to be placed on the critical role of carnivores in balancing prey populations as well as their inherent aesthetic appeal and natural place in our forests.
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