July 31, 2004
"Fossa!"
by Steve Watson

The morning of the 31st July 2004, five of us on a path walking single file in the dappled shade of dry primary forest, in my hand a bag of soggy rice to bait the traps.

Our guide stops, gasps, peers, holds up his hand and says:

“Fossa!”

We stay behind as our guide walks towards the trap. A charge of excitement remains. We can’t see the trap from where we are. We wait.

Returning, our guide tries the radio. Nothing! We can get reception further on so we have to walk past the trap – one at a time, quietly.

And now my turn to pass, I step carefully, feet softly on the sandy path.

I turn my head to the trap. The fossa crouches, its sleek, long body, long tail, brown fur, muscles powering through the cage. Its proximity elates me.

And so, we pass on with one less trap to bait. Leaving our prize behind.