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I snapped a picture of this Fisher (Martes pennanti) stealing my baseball glove! I chased this stocky weasel thinking it would drop the glove, but Fishers are so strong I never saw the glove again. Fishers are carnivorous but unlike their name) don't catch or eat fish. They may have been named by early Dutch settlers after the European Polecat known as the "Fitchet." Fishers are about the only successful predators of the Porcupine. So, does anybody have any ideas why the Fisher wanted the baseball glove? 
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There is growing concern about contaminated drinking water from excreted drugs. Estrogen from the Birth Control Pill for example, is found in municipal sewage and inevitably, our watershed. These pharmaceuticals are having an impact on wildlife as reported in a CBC article by Aly Thomson called Birth Control Pill Threatens Fish Populations. The article describes an experiment that exposed Fathead Minnows to small amounts of Estrogen. The results showed sudden crashes in the minnow's population with ecosystem implications. Most disturbing was that the male fish started to produce eggs after Estrogen exposure. This article suggests that the problem of drugs in our waterways can be solved with better wastewater treatment. Currently, Huntsville is in the process of upgrading its sewage treatment plant. Depending on which process variation is adopted, our plant could have the potential to filter or prevent Estrogen and other pharmaceuticals from entering our waterways and ultimately our drinking water. The article can be found here http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/birth-control-pill-threatens-fish-populations-1.2796897 For more information on Huntsville's wastewater treatment facilities and upgrades see District of Muskoka's website http://www.muskoka.on.ca/content/water-and-sewer
Bring your tree questions and stories to the Woodlands and Wildlife Forest Festival hosted by the Muskoka Conservancy and Westwind Forest Stewardship on Friday November 14, 2014. The $50 registration fee ($30 for students) covers a full day of workshops and presentations on topics such as, wildlife friendly forestry, species at risk, forest health, invasive species, and living with deer. The event will take place at the Active Living Centre, 20 Park Dr. in Huntsville. The keynote speaker is Michael Runtz, and lunch is included. Register online or by phone - jhead@muskokaconservancy.org (705)645-7393 ext.200. Don't miss it!
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