Preliminary Survey of Native and Invasive Carnivores in a Community Forest in Southwestern Madagascar

Abstract

The fosa (Cryptoprocta ferox) is an endemic carnivore typically found in large protected areas of Madagascar. Here, we report the presence of juvenile fosa in Milomboka Community Forest in southwestern Madagascar, a region where very few occurrences of the species have been reported. We obtained camera trap videos of fosa and two exotic carnivores, the forest cat (Felis catus) and small Indian civet (Viverricula indica), during a 48-trap night camera trapping study. These findings highlight the value of small community conservation areas for biodiversity, even when they serve as production landscapes.