The Occurrence of Heavy Metals in Fishers, Pekania pennanti, in Wisconsin

Although fisher (Pekania pennanti) populations have stabilized due to reintroduction efforts and habitat reconstruction, they face ongoing threats from environmental stressors such as deforestation, climate change, vehicle collisions, and toxicants. This study examines the presence of heavy metals in fishers harvested in Wisconsin from 2005 to 2006, providing a foundational understanding of baseline heavy metal concentrations for future reference. Liver samples were analyzed for levels of Aluminum, Copper, Nickel, Zinc, Arsenic, Cadmium, Iron, Manganese, Cobalt, Mercury, Molybdenum, Lead, Thallium, Chromium, and Vanadium. Mass spectrometry was used to quantify the metal concentrations in parts per million and the data were analyzed using robust multiple linear regression analyses and classical linear models to assess the effects of age and sex, and a Kruskal-Wallis test to determine the effect of county of harvest on the metal concentrations. The findings suggest that fishers in Wisconsin do not have measurable levels of Ni, As, Hg, and Tl. Sex and age significantly influenced Cd levels in fishers, while county location influenced Fe and Mo concentrations.