Description:  The fossa is the largest carnivore found on Madagascar.  It has short, smooth hair that is thick and reddish brown.  It resembles a small cougar with short limbs.  It has short ears and a rounder head than most other viverrids.  When compared to other viverrids, the fossa has 32 molars instead of the usual 36 that most viverrids have.  The fossa also has anal scent glands which discharge a strong, disagreeable odor when the animal is irritated.

Size:  The fossa has a body length of 61~76cm with the tail almost as long as the body.  They weigh 7~12kg.

Distribution:  Found only on the island of Madagascar and in zoos around the world.

Habitat:  Dwells in forest and woodland savannahs from coastal lowlands to mountainous areas at elevations of 2,000 meters.

Behavior:  The fossa is a solitary, nocturnal creature.  They are excellent climbers and can move nimbly through the branches in pursuit of prey.  They are hunted and eaten by local people because they sometimes kill domestic animals.

Diet:  Their diet consists mainly of small mammals and birds but it also includes reptiles, frogs, and insects.  They will also hunt lemurs.

Reproduction:  Mating takes place from September to October.  This is the only time that the fossas converge with one another.  Copulation is an unusually long act.  There have been reports of it lasting 165 minutes.  The animals can even mate in the branches of trees.  The female vocalizes meowing sounds while copulating.  After a three month gestational period, 2~4  young weighing 100 grams are born.  The babies are covered with hair but they are blind and toothless.  After 4.5 months the young leave the nest and from there they are weaned.  The fossa becomes sexually mature after three years of age.

Status:  The fossa has recently been upgraded from "vulnerable" to "endangered" by IUCN.  It is believed that there are 2500 fossas left on Madagascar due to the increasingly fragmented habitat.  The fossa is listed as Appendix II by CITES.  There are 51 fossas in captivity according to ISIS.