Chester Zoo is celebrating the “incredibly special” birth of four fossa pups, a rare and highly threatened species.
The fossa is a slender, cat-like mammal and the largest natural predator in Madagascar. There are fewer than 2,500 fossas estimated to remain in the wild, mainly due to deforestation.
Their long tails help to keep balance when leaping among tree branches, and the species is considered one of the world’s most elusive carnivores - so much so that conservationists have had trouble observing them.
Two healthy male and two female pups were born on 8 July 2025 to parents Shala and seven-year-old male Zaza. Zaza arrived from San Diego Zoo in the USA in May after he was identified as a promising genetic match for Shala.
The pups are now 12 weeks old and are delighting zookeepers and visitors by taking their first steps.
In a statement, Chester Zoo said the team will soon start choosing names for the pups “as their personalities emerge – a couple are bold and brave, while the others are more cautious and like to stay close to mum”.
Head of mammals Mark Brayshaw said: “These births are incredibly special. Not only are they the only pups in the UK and vital additions to a European breeding programme, but they also give us a unique opportunity to learn more about their biology, behaviours and social dynamics.
“That insight helps us build a more complete picture of the species, which is then used to inform conservation efforts in the wild.”
The fossa is listed as “vulnerable to extinction” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
In 2015, the Malagasy government established the Mangabe New Protected Area, co-managed by the zoo’s field partner Madagasikara Voakajy and the communities that live in the Mangabe region.
The area provides a safe haven for thousands of species living on the island, including the fossa.
Conservationists at Chester Zoo have been working alongside partners in Madagascar for more than 15 years to protect habitats and restore forests.
