fossa

Also known as Cryptoprocta ferox

cat-like, carnivorous mammal native to Madagascar

OverviewAI-generated

The fossa (*Cryptoprocta ferox*) is a species within the family Eupleridae, endemic to Madagascar. It belongs to the genus *Cryptoprocta* and has been described in sources including the *Encyclopædia Britannica* 11th edition and the *New International Encyclopedia*. The IUCN Red List classifies the species as Vulnerable, a status assigned in 2016.

Biological records indicate a gestation period of 90 days and a typical litter size of 3. The longest observed lifespan for the species is 23.1 years, and individuals have a recorded mass of 100. The fossa produces sounds such as meows and sighs. Museum records from institutions including NHMUK and MNHN document its presence in Madagascar.

Synthesized by Vinony from 40 facts across 7 sources: Wikidata, GBIF, iNaturalist, Gbif Occ, IUCN Red List, iDigBio, Vinony graph. Generated from structured data (not the Wikipedia text) and checked against those facts — may still contain errors.

Species

Vulnerable

Jaguarundi

Blattodea

ORDER

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderBlattodea

Observations1,652

Observations recorded511,244

Maximum longevity: 23.1 years (captivity) Observations: In captivity, these animals may live up to 23.1 years (Richard Weigl 2005).

via GBIF · IUCN

Museum specimens

Specimen records: 3
Family: Eupleridae
Collections: NHMUK, MNHN
Recorded in: Madagascar

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Encyclopedic overview

The fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox; /ˈfɒsə/ FOSS-ə or /ˈfuːsə/ FOO-sə; Malagasy: [ˈfusə̥]) is a slender, long-tailed, cat-like mammal that is endemic to Madagascar. It is a member of the carnivoran family Eupleridae.

The fossa is the largest mammalian carnivore on Madagascar and has been compared to a small cougar, as it has convergently evolved many cat-like features. Adults have a head-body length of 70–80 cm (28–31 in) and weigh between 5.5 and 8.6 kg (12 and 19 lb), with the males larger than the females. It has semi-retractable claws (meaning it can extend but not retract its claws fully) and flexible ankles that allow it to climb up and down trees head-first, and also support jumping from tree to tree. A larger relative of the species, Cryptoprocta spelea, probably became extinct before 1400.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “fossa” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.