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For the closely related animal Fossa fossana, see Malagasy Civet.
The fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox) (pronounced /ˈfuːsə/[2][3] or /ˈfɒsə/) is a mammal endemic to Madagascar. A member of family Eupleridae, it is closely related to the mongoose. It is the largest mammalian carnivore on the island of Madagascar. (The largest carnivore on Madagascar is the Nile crocodile.)
[edit] Behavior and habitatRecent observations indicate the fossa may not be as nocturnal as was once thought. The rarity of this animal likely contributed to the belief that the fossa is entirely nocturnal, but recent scientific study has found that it is active both during the day and night,this mammal also has a pattern of activity known as cathemerality, depending on season and prey availability.[4] One of the biomes hosting the fossa is the Madagascar dry deciduous forests. The best place to see the fossa is in the Kirindy Forest, located about 70 kilometers north of the city of Morondava. [edit] LifespanFossa pups are born blind and toothless. They are dependent on their mother for about one year, and do not leave the nest until they are four months old. The fossa does not breed until it is about four years old. It has been known to live 20 years in captivity. The lifespan of the Fossa in the wild is currently unknown. [5] [edit] PhylogenyThough most still classify and accept the fossa (along with its close relative the Falanouc) as part of the family of viverrids, some have recently reclassified it in a new family of Malagasy civets and mongooses: Eupleridae.  [edit] DietThe fossa is a carnivore that hunts small to medium sized animals, from fish to birds. It is particularly adept at hunting lemurs, and is the predominant predator of many species, with only Madagascar's large snakes, and Nile crocodiles being larger. The fossil record of Madagascar has yielded the remains of a giant, recently extinct fossa, Cryptoprocta spelea. It was about 6 feet (1.8 m) long, 20% longer than a big modern fossa, and weighed about 17 kg. This species is believed to have preyed upon the larger, ape-sized lemurs that inhabited Madagascar until humans settled on the island. Fossas in captivity consume between 800-1000 g of meat a day. The diet of fossas in the wild has been studied by analysing their distinctive scats. The diet varies depending on location, but does not vary by sex. In most parts of their range mammals form the most important part of their diet. Of these lemurs are regular components of their diet.[6] One study found that vertebrates comprised 94% of the diet of fossas, with lemurs comprising over 50%, as well as tenrecs (9%) lizards (9%) birds (2%) and seeds (5%). The seeds may have been in the stomachs of the lemurs eaten, or may have been taken with fruit taken for water, as seeds were more common in the stomach in the dry season. Even other large prey items, with the average prey size being 40 g, in contrast to the average prey size of 480 g in humid forests and over a 1000 g in dry deciduous forests.[6] Prey may be obtained by hunting either on the ground or in the trees. During the non-breeding season fossas hunt individually, but during the breeding season hunting parties may be seen, and these may be pairs or later on mothers and young. One member of the group scales the tree and chases the lemurs from tree to tree, forcing them down to the ground where the other is easily able to capture them.[6] The fossa has no natural predators, but may be consumed incidentally by the Nile crocodile. File:Fosa-drawing.jpg Fosa illustration circa 1927 [edit] Conservation statusThe fossa is endemic to the island of Madagascar (as is a large percentage of the country's native fauna). In 2000, Luke Dollar (Mustelid, Viverrid & Procyonid Specialist Group) certified there were fewer than 2,500 mature individuals in fragmented areas in continuing decline. This certification earned the fossa the status of vulnerable by the World Conservation Union (IUCN).[1] The fossa is listed as a Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) Appendix II animal, which puts restrictions on its export and trade.
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