June 13, 2004
"Fossa Trapping"
by Jennifer Scheibling

Since the focus of the fossa team's research is (not suprisingly) the fossa, we were all eager to set traps in Ankarafantsika National Park as soon as possible, the site of our research.

There are two separate trail systems in the park that we will set traps up in. So far we only have 8 trapsset in sire B and will set more up when wecan buy additional chickens on Market day which is every Wednesday in the local town.

The traps that we are using for the fossa are the Tomahawk brand. The design is relatively simple and straigh forward with a door at one end and a large metal plate about three fourth's of the way back into the cage that when stepped on triggers the door to shut. Chickens are fenced into the very back using sticks that a driven through the openings in the trap in order to forcethe fossa (or other small carnivore) to step on the metal plate and trigger the closing of the door. The back of the trap, where the chicken are located, needs to be heavily reinforced (on the outside of the trap) with large sticks and logs to prevent the fossa from getting to the chicken from the outside of the trap, which they are more than capable of doing if giventhe opportunity.

Traps are checked twice daily, once after breakfast around 8 amd once after mid-day siesta around 2 or 2:30. Aside from checking the traps for fossa we also feed and water the chickens and check to make sure that the traps are functioning properly. When a fossa is trapped it is tranquilized and taken back to canp for anatomical measurements, blood and tissue samples and possibly fitted with a radio collar.

Today was our third day of checking traps and so far we haven't had any luck, but we are keeping our fingers crossed and are sure that we will get lucky soon. Stay tuned!!