Chester Zoo recently announced that triplets belonging to a rare Madagascan species called fossa have emerged from their den.
The pups have been tucked away out of sight until recently, but after turning 12 weeks old, they have now taken their first steps outside.
Born to parents Isalo and Shala, the triplets are a massive cause for celebration at Chester Zoo as they are the first of their species to call the city landmark their birthplace. Running for over 91 years, the zoo is dedicated to preventing the extinction of endangered species from all over the world.
Conservationists at the zoo recently have released heart-warming coverage of the fossa siblings playing together and exploring their carefully designed habitat. The triplets, two of which are female and one is male, are yet to be named by the zoo.
Related distantly to the mongoose, fossas are slender mammals who are cat-like in appearance. They are only found in Madagascar’s forests and have unique physical characteristics suited to their natural habitat. They have long tails that help them to balance when scaling and leaping between trees, and they have large eyes, giving them excellent night vision to hunt their prey and support their carnivorous diet.
Fossas are a highly endangered species due to the loss of their rainforest home pushing them towards extinction. Recent estimates suggest there may be as few as 2,600 of the creatures now in the wild.
Those visiting Chester with an interest in rare species and conservation can now see the new litter of fossas at the zoo.
