fossa
Sign in to savecat-like, carnivorous mammal native to Madagascar
AI overview
The fossa is a cat-like carnivorous mammal found only in Madagascar that hunts other animals on the island. It matters because it is Madagascar's largest predator and plays an important role in the island's unique ecosystem.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- taxon
- Parent taxon
- Cryptoprocta
- Mass
- +9.5
- Image
- Cryptoprocta ferox 1 - Syracuse Zoo.jpg
Show 5 more facts
- P105
- species
Article
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.