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Fossa are relatives of the mongoose.
Fossa Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Eupleridae
Genus: Cryptoprocta
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Fossa in Foreign Languages:
German: Frettkatze, Fossa
Irish: fosa
Navajo: dlo´'iitsoh naalzheehígíí
Spanish: Gato fossa de Madagascar
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Other Names: Fosa, Kintsala, Tratraka,
Conservation Status: Fossas are endangered
creatures due to habitat loss. Less than ten percent
of the Fossa's Madagascar’s original home remains
today.
Size: Fossa males are up to 31 inches and
weight 13 to 22 pounds. Female fossas have a body
length up to 27 inches long and weigh 11 to 15
pounds. Both male and female fossas have long
taisl that measures 27 to 25 inches long.
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Fossa
Conservation Status: Vulnerable / Endangered
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Habitat: Fossas are native only to the island
nation of Madagascar, off the east coast of Africa.
Description: Fossas have a short coat that is
a rich brown color with a golden tinge. The fossa has
retractable claws and fearsome catlike teeth.
Behavior: The fossa spends time both in the
trees and on the ground. Fossas are active at night
and during the day.
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Diet: The fossa is a carnivore, they prey
on small to medium-sized animals from fish to
birds, mice, and wild pigs. A fossa's most common
hunted food is the lemur.
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Did You Know?
A fossa can travel up to 16 miles in
a day.
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Gestation: Fossa's carry their young for up
to 3 months.
Birth: Fossas give birth to litters of 2 to
4 babies. A newborn Fossa cub weighs approximately 3
to 3.5 ounces at birth.
Sexually Mature: Fossas are sexually mature
at 4 years of age.
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Life Span: Fossa's live up to 20 years
in captivity.
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Did You Know?
Fossas have scent glands that release
a stinky smell when the animal is irritated
or frightened.
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Social Structure: Fossas are solitary creatures
except for in breeding season.
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