Animal Profiles: Fossa - (Cryptoprocta ferox)

_{Image: jez s (flickr) - Obtained under fair use by wikimedia}

The fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox) is a large, cat-like relative of the Mongoose native to Madagascar. Capable of growing up to 6ft (1.8m) long, thanks to its long tail, the fossa is the apex predator on the island and is known to hunt lemurs, birds, fish, mice, and wild pigs. They can reach up to 22lbs (10kg) and are capable of traveling 16 miles (26km) in a single day during breeding season. This is a particularly significant distance when the fact that Madagascar itself is only 980 miles (1,577km) between its farthest points and would take less than 62 day for a Fossa to walk from one end of the island to the other, if it so desired.

The fossa is currently listed as vulnerable by the IUCN's Red List, meaning there's a high risk that they'll become extinct in the wild due to habitat loss. There are only 2500 fossa left in the wild at this point. This is not helped by the unfavorable opinion locals have of them, being widely considered pests by villagers. Currently, only 10% of the forests that once covered Madagascar and that the fossa call home remain intact today. In captivity, they can live up to 20 years and are estimated to live up to 15 years in the wild, which is good considering they continue to grow until they're 2 years old and don't reach sexual maturity until they reach 4 years of age. Outside of the breeding season, fosa are solitary animals, preferring their own territory.

Read more: Sand Diego Zoo
Read more: National Geographic