Two rare fossa pups, a vulnerable species from Madagascar, have officially moved into their brand-new habitat at the Central Florida Zoo.
The pups were born in May to the zoo’s female fossa, Alina. They’re now out and about on exhibit at the zoo from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. daily.
The cubs come following a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Fossa Species Survival Plan. The program works to maintain healthy, genetically diverse populations of endangered and threatened animals.
Fossas are listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, with fewer than 2,500 estimated to remain in the wild.
After labor, mom Alina was unable to care for the four pups, and the zoo’s animal care team made the decision to hand-raise the litter, the zoo says. Fossa pups had not been hand-raised at an AZA-accredited U.S. zoo in about 15 years.
Currently, only 34 fossa cubs are a part of the Species Survival Plan nationwide.
“The pups were born premature and required feeding every two hours. Our teams worked around the clock,” Director of Animal Operations Chris Torge said.
Despite their efforts, two of the four pups did not survive due to medical complications.
“This loss was incredibly difficult for the team, but we remained focused on the two surviving females and giving them every chance to thrive,” Torge said.
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