The Fossa

The fossa is a fearsome carnivore which lives in the large forests of Madagascar. The fossa can live up to 20 years in the wild. It leaves its mother at one year old and starts a family when it is four years old. The fossa is the top predator of Madagascar which means it has no natural predators. Its main prey is lemurs but “it will eat anything with a heartbeat.” The fossa has long sharp claws and sharp teeth to penetrate the skin of their prey. Its long tail is almost the length of its body and helps it balance when it jumps from branch to branch. The fossa’s big eyes help it see in the night and day. The fossa is mostly nocturnal except during mating season when it is mostly diurnal. The fossa’s territory can be up to one square mile and the fossa will patrol the border and walk up to 16 miles a day.

The fossa is solitary until mating season. The fossa's mating season is September through December. When mating season starts the female fossa gives off a strong scent to attract the male. She may also meow. The male fossa yowls and growls to compete for a mate on the ground while the female watches from the trees above. The male might even roar if necessary. The gestation period is about 3 months. A baby fossa is born blind and it takes several weeks before it can see. A baby fossa purrs when nursing or when they are near their mother. By Jesse and Henry W.