The Charles Paddock Zoo announced the arrival of a 13-year-old female fossa, “Shelby.”
The fossa is now on exhibit, and can be seen just in time for the remaining days of the zoo’s spring festival.
A release by the city of Atascadero says that fossa lifespans are about 20 years in zoos, though unknown in the wild, and are closely related to mongooses or civets.
The fossa are also only native to the island nation of Madagascar, off the coast of Africa, and are the largest carnivores on the island. The fossa is currently classified as vulnerable, with only about 2,500 left in the wilderness.
The spring festival continues at the Charles Paddock Zoo, with a family-friendly “Party for the Planet” earth day celebration on Saturday, April 20th from 10 am to 3 pm.
