African Civet

African Civet
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Viverridae Subfamily: Viverrinae Genus: Civettictis Species: C. civetta
Binomial name
Civettictis civetta (Schreber, 1776)

The African Civet is a common viverrid native to tropical Africa.^[1] Unlike many other members of the family, which resemble cats, the African Civet resembles a short dog-like animal. Its coarse coat varies but is usually an ornate pattern of black and white contrasting bands and blotches, with a white face mask and black eye patches (like that of a raccoon) and a pale muzzle. Like all civets it has perianal glands that produce a fluid known as civetone (used in the perfume industry), which it spreads on markers in its territory to claim its range. (In fact, "civet" was originally the name for the scent obtained from this species: Middle French civette, from Old Italian zibetto, from Arabic zabAd, civet perfume.)^[2]

The African Civet ranges across Sub-Saharan Africa (except Somalia) and most of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. It lives in forests, both dense rainforest, or in partly forested mosaics, as well as in drier country where cover exists (along watercourses or rock outcroppings). Although they are frequently taken by snares left out for jackals and are victims of roadkill, they are not considered threatened.

The African Civet is an omnivorous generalist, taking both small vertebrates, invertebrates, eggs, carrion, and vegetable matter. It is capable of taking on poisonous invertebrates (such as the millipedes most other species avoid) and snakes, and tackling large prey items such as mongooses and hares. It forages by itself, and is a mostly solitary animal that avoids the presence of others of its species.^[3]

Physical Characteristics

The African Civet grows to approxiamtely 42 inches from head to tail, and weighs anywhere from 15-44 pounds, or 7-20 kgs. The civet may resemble a raccoon in many ways, but it is in fact entirely different. The civet has a dorsal crest that it will raise when threatened, as well feet with blunt claws and naked soles so that it can grip branches.The coat is blotched, striped, and spotted to add camoflauge during the night. The hind legs of the civet are also a neat characteristic, because they are much more powerful and much larger than the front lefs, and because of this the civet has a semidigitigrade posture. The tail of the civet is broad at the base and tapers towards the tip, and its primary purpose is for balance among the trees. Finally, the most notable characteristic of the civet is its anal glands, which produuce a substance traditionally coveted by the perfume and pharmaceutical industries. Deposits from the glands are extremely pungent and build up in territorial sites that are regularly marked. Other species similar to the civet are the binturong and the little african linsang.

References

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