Fossa

Cryptoprocta ferox

Difficult

The **Fossa** (*Cryptoprocta ferox*) is a small African carnivoran featured in the Tropical Pack DLC for *Planet Zoo*.

## Zoopedia Description

### General

**Population In Wild:** 2,600 - 8,600

The fossa (or Cryptoprocta ferox) is a large mammal found in the forests of the island of Madagascar. It belongs to the family of Eupleridae, the Madagascan carnivores, of which the fossa is the largest. Mostly arboreal, the fossa has a long and slender cat-like build, with a tail almost as long as its body. Its fur is uniformly tan-brown. The fossa has rounded ears, a round nose, and yellow eyes resembling that of a cat. Males and females look alike, and are between 24.4in to 32in long, with the tail adding another 24in to 30in. Fossas weigh 11lb to 19.8lb.

The fossa is considered a Vulnerable species, previously classified as Endangered. They are threatened by habitat destruction and fragmentation due to human land use, and they are also hunted because they prey on poultry livestock. The latter problem is amplified by habitat loss driving fossas to seek prey closer to human settlements. Conservationists are aiming to introduce protection methods that financially incentivize locals to conserve the fossa.

### Social

Fossas are solitary in the wild, with the exception of a mother and her cubs.

### Reproduction

The fossa's mating season usually takes place from September to October. In fossas, females appear to be the ones selecting a mate, which is unusual among carnivores. She chooses a mating site, often in a tree near a water source, and selects her mate from a group of up to 8 males who have gathered at her site. The males stay near the receptive female, vying for her attention by howling and fighting with each other. The female is likely to mate with multiple males, each copulation taking approximately 3 hours, and she will stay in her mating tree for several days.

Following a pregnancy of roughly 3 months, the female fossa searches for a hidden area such as an abandoned den, a rock crevice, or a termite nest to give birth. Litter size can vary from 1 to 6 cubs, but litters between 2 to 4 are most common. Fossas are born blind and without teeth or hair. After 2 weeks, they open their eyes, and at 3 months, they begin eating solid food. At 4.5 months, the juveniles leave the den for the first time.

Fossa cubs are independent from their mother's care by the time they are a year old, but often remain close to her until they are fully grown, at around 2 years old. By this time, the mother is ready to mate again and the cubs will disperse. The cubs themselves reach sexual maturity between 3 to 4 years old.

## Animal Care

 FEEDING STATIONS
 FOOD ENRICHMENT
Frozen Blood Pumpkin · Skittle Feeder · Bamboo Feeder · Piñata Zebra · Piñata Pronghorn
Cardboard Box · Climbing Frame · Blood Scent Marker · Gift Box · Rubber Duck · Rubbing Pad · Rubbing Pad Bark · Small Ball · Small Ice Ball · Small Ball Colourful · Small Ball Pumpkin · Tennis Ball

## Trivia

### Zoopedia Facts

* Fossas are unique among carnivores in that they use a polyandrous mating system, where one female will control a territory and mate with multiple males.
* Fossas are the largest carnivores that live on Madagascar.
* Fossas mostly prey on lemurs, which make up 50% of their diet.
* Fossas climb down trees head first in a similar way to squirrels.
* Fossas are a member of the Eupleridae family, whose closest relative is the continental African mongoose. They are thought to have evolved to be very large due to becoming an isolated population on Madagascar 21 million years ago.

## Gallery

Two Fossas seen in the background of the Tropical Pack bannerFossa revealFossa animation example