'Rare' and 'mysterious' fossa pups born at Chester Zoo - and they're absolutely adorable
Chester Zoo is celebrating the birth of the UK’s only fossa pups.
The four rare animals, born to parents Shala and Zaza, are the first of their kind to be born in the UK this year, and one of only three litters born in all zoos across Europe in 2025.
Carnivore experts at the zoo have hailed the arrival of the two male and two female pups as “vital new additions” to an international breeding programme which is working to ensure the continued survival of the species.
The birth of the pups comes after seven-year-old male Zaza arrived in Chester from San Diego Zoo in the USA in May, having been identified as an excellent genetic match for resident female, Shala.
The fossa, a slender, cat-like mammal and the largest natural predator in Madagascar, is a highly threatened species with fewer than 2,500 estimated to remain in the wild, largely due to mass deforestation.
Mark Brayshaw, Head of Mammals at Chester Zoo, said: “The fossa is one of the world’s most mysterious and least-known carnivores - they’re so secretive that even the most experienced conservationists can go years without catching a glimpse of them in the wild as they move silently through Madagascar’s forests.
“These births are therefore incredibly special. Not only are they the only pups in the UK and vital new additions to a European breeding programme designed to safeguard the species from extinction, their arrival gives us a unique opportunity to learn more about their biology, behaviours and social dynamics.”
Fossa pups are born blind, weighing about 100g (about the same as a small apple) and first leave their den several months after birth.
Having been born on July 8 2025, the 12-week-old pups at the zoo have now been spotted venturing out for the first time by zookeepers and zoo visitors.
Dave Hall, Team Manager of carnivores at the zoo, said: “A recent vet check revealed that the quartet consists of two males and two females.
“We’re going to start to draw up a list of potential names for them as each of the pups develops its own distinct personality - a couple are bold and brave, while the others a little more cautious and tentative and tend to stick close by to mum.”
The fossa is listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).