Cuteness Overload As Transatlantic Conservation Efforts Lead To The Birth Of Four Adorable Fossa Pups

If you like furry animals and you also like conservation efforts that help produce new litters of endangered species, this one’s for you.

You may not have heard of them, but chances are these little pups are about to capture your heart.

Because among the jubilant births at the UK’s Chester Zoo this year is a litter of fossa pups.

And these cute little creatures are at the forefront of attempts to prop up a dwindling species.

Endemic to the island of Madagascar, the fossa is a cat-like mammal and actually the island’s largest natural predator.

However, despite this fact, widespread deforestation across Madagascar – a haven for biodiversity in the Indian Ocean, off the southeastern coast of Africa – has caused the fossa population to plummet.

Listed as vulnerable to extinction on the IUCN Red List, there are thought to be only around 2,500 fossa remaining in the wild.

That’s why this new litter is so important, as Chester Zoo’s Head of Mammals, Mark Brayshaw, explained in a statement:

“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.”

While the fossa pups were actually born on July 8th, the zoo didn’t announce their births until they were around twelve weeks old.

That’s because fossa pups are born very small and totally blind, with a few months spent growing in their den before they start to explore the world around them – and before the zoo’s vets could check them over.

Since then, it has been confirmed that Chester Zoo’s resident fossa Shala is the proud mom to two male and two female pups, with very different personalities emerging already.

The pups’ father, Zaza, was identified as a genetic match earlier in the year, travelling all the way from San Diego Zoo for the occasion.

And thanks to their successful match, four more fossa are now keeping their species alive.

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