Say Hi to Nashville’s Fanaloka

The Nashville Zoo has just announced a new arrival: a bouncing baby fanaloka. The male cub is the first spotted fanaloka born in the United States, according to the Associations of Zoos and Aquariums database. In fact the baby boy and his parents are the only known group of fanalokas in the US.

So what is a spotted fanaloka? Also known as the Malagasy or striped civet (Fossa fossana), the small carnivore is a native of Madagascar’s lowland and rainforest areas. Adults usually don’t grow beyond 19 inches long, with an additional seven or eight inches of tail; they weigh between three and 4.5 pounds. The foxy, cat-like creature eats other small mammals, reptiles, bird eggs, insects, the usual.

A few years ago the International Union for the Conservation of Nature upgraded the species’ conservation status from Near Threatened to Vulnerable, but “It is threatened by deforestation for cultivated land, and by forest degradation through selective logging and charcoal production. It is also threatened by hunting,” according to the IUCN.

The new guy arrived on Earth on April 29 and is now being hand-reared by the Zoo's veterinary staff, who describe the newborn as “healthy and alert.” He is currently in the zoo’s neonatal care room and, like his parents, are out of public view for the time being. The zoo is working with AZA on breeding and conserving the species.

"We are honored to have them here and to help conserve this vulnerable species!" zoo officials said in a statement.

See more of the new arrival here: youtube.com/watch?v=BG2g1vZLZy0.