https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw Cryptoprocta ferox, Madagascar's apex predator en-us 2022-04-04 16:19:18 UTC 2022-04-30 23:55:53 UTC hello@padlet.com amberhanna52 https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165465625 The fossa is endemic to Madagascar and inhabits all of the forested lands found there. Today they are reduced to a tiny part of their native range. This is typically in protected parks and other protected areas. The reduction of suitable habitats is due to deforestation. ]]> 2022-04-30 20:52:14 UTC https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165465625 amberhanna52 https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165466884 2022-04-30 20:55:17 UTC https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165466884 amberhanna52 https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165492009 The current population estimate is somewhere between 2,635 individuals to 8,626 individuals. The IUNC red list status is vulnerable as of 2015.]]> 2022-04-30 22:03:03 UTC https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165492009 amberhanna52 https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165494272 When it comes to their social interaction fossas are solitary and territorial animals. They spend most of their days up in trees or resting and are most active in the morning and late afternoon. 

They communicate mostly with sounds and scent, but when together there are also visual cues. ]]> 2022-04-30 22:10:38 UTC https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165494272 amberhanna52 https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165494616 They consume all of the lemur species in Madagascar. Their preference seems to lean more toward the small to medium size prey but have been known to take down even the largest of the lemur species. They are generalist predators so they also hunt tenrecs, reptiles, birds, and insects. Fossas have also been known to capture and eat small pigs and poultry.]]> 2022-04-30 22:11:47 UTC https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165494616 amberhanna52 https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165498815 The fossas have a polyandrous mating system. The females will choose a tree that is referred to as a mating tree and multiple males gather below and complete with one another to mate with her. Then the females give birth to about 2-4 cubs and raise them until they reach 15-20 months in age. ]]> 2022-04-30 22:25:30 UTC https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165498815 amberhanna52 https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165499983 Habitat loss and fragmentation have substantial impacts on the declining population. However, this is not their biggest threat. Local farmers are their biggest threat. They view fossas as dangerous predators that go after their poultry. ]]> 2022-04-30 22:29:34 UTC https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165499983 amberhanna52 https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165502519 The fossa is Madagascar's apex predator so it has a significant impact on their prey items. Since fossas are found all across Madagascar's forest they impact a very large area. Without them, we could see significant shifts in populations of their prey items. If their population rises too high or too much they might cause significant ecosystem damage. ]]> 2022-04-30 22:37:26 UTC https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165502519 amberhanna52 https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165503867 If you copy the link and paste it in a new tab you will be able to see the website page for the fossa by the IUNC red list. On here is also lists agriculture, aquaculture, biological resource use, natural system modification, and invasive species as things threating the population. ]]> 2022-04-30 22:42:08 UTC https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165503867 amberhanna52 https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165509427 There are many myths and tales told about the fossa among Madagascar villagers. A good number of them center around the conflicts and attitudes that can be seen between the people and the predators. One of the myths is that the scent of the fossa alone can kill poultry. Another claims that in the middle of the night they sneak in and kill babies. ]]> 2022-04-30 23:00:52 UTC https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165509427 amberhanna52 https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165514115 2022-04-30 23:15:42 UTC https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165514115 amberhanna52 https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165515568 2022-04-30 23:20:33 UTC https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165515568 amberhanna52 https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165516228 2022-04-30 23:22:21 UTC https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165516228 amberhanna52 https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165517558 This article talks about wild dogs killing Madagascar wildlife and some of the dogs were reported to have killed fossa. Something needs to be done about this as soon as possible. Even if the the dogs only killed a small number like 1 or 2 you must be thinking about the resources they are taking away from the fossa. They are documented eating prey items that also are prey items of the fossa. ]]> 2022-04-30 23:26:45 UTC https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165517558 amberhanna52 https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165519077 When trying to manage a population that is vulnerable to change you must looks and how building things like roads will impact them. The fossa is already majorly impacted by habitat fragmentation and the construction of roadways will not aid in the already fragmented landscape. This will place a divide between animals and make it hard for them to get to one another for reproduction purposes. One thing that managers could do to help sway this problem is the put corridors in to new and existing roads that may be an obstacle for the fossa. ]]> 2022-04-30 23:31:46 UTC https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165519077 amberhanna52 https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165520069 Retaliatory killing are one of the fossa's biggest threats. Farmers who have lost their poultry and small livestock to this predator grow very annoyed and tired of dealing with the predators. In order to protect their animals or to get back at the fossa for killing their animals they kill them instead. Poultry are the most common farm animal that is killed by the fossa. ]]> 2022-04-30 23:35:20 UTC https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165520069 amberhanna52 https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165521165 Some of the key strategies to save this species are protecting lands with dense forests that are home to fossa. 
Getting corridors put into place on new roads being built and on current roads where fossa are frequently observed. 
Working with farmers and educating them on the importance of the species and how to deter them away rather than killing them.

]]> 2022-04-30 23:39:39 UTC https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165521165 amberhanna52 https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165525062 Although the fossa is a solitary and territorial animal this study helped show that their home ranges overlap. Also there have recently been sighting reported in this study of fossa traveling together outside of their mating season. This raises question to just how solitary these species are.]]> 2022-04-30 23:53:07 UTC https://padlet.com/amberhanna52/ed2vmlq3cwumrltw/wish/2165525062