Fossa

Madagascar’s top predator

The fossa is the dominant predator in Malagasy forests — there are no large wild cats, wolves, or bears on Madagascar. It fills the ecological niche held by medium-to-large felids elsewhere, hunting everything from lemurs and birds to lizards and rodents. Its closest relatives are the small mongooses of the Old World, but millions of years of isolated evolution on Madagascar have produced something far more cat-like.

Tree climbing

The fossa has unusually flexible ankles that can rotate to point backward, allowing it to descend trees head-first — a rare ability among carnivores. It pursues lemurs through the canopy with great agility, running along branches, making standing leaps, and navigating complex three-dimensional forest architecture. Its semi-retractile claws grip bark effectively.

Communal mating trees

Fossa mating is extraordinary: females occupy a single tree for several days during oestrus while multiple males gather below competing for access. The female mates with several males sequentially from her elevated position. The same trees are used year after year for this purpose, with different females using the traditional site in succession.

Forest loss

Madagascar has lost over 90% of its original forest cover to slash-and-burn agriculture, charcoal production, and logging. The fossa requires large areas of forest and is extremely sensitive to fragmentation. Current population estimates are below 2,500 individuals.