Over a dozen species of small, lean, mostly nocturnal mammals of tropical Asia and Africa, most in the family Viverridae. The popular name "civet cat" is inaccurate: they are not cats. Civets produce a strong musk, also called civet, long used in perfume.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?Omnivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Night
The African civet sleeps by day in dense vegetation and wakes at sunset.
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?In places
The African civet is hunted for bushmeat.
At a glance
Found inAfrica, Asia
HabitatRainforest
ColoursGrey, Black, Brown
SizeSmall
Length43–71 cm, not counting the tail
Weight1.4–4.5 kg
Legs4
Covered inFur
Lives alone
Lives for15–20 years
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Tropical Asia and Africa, especially tropical forests; most species live in Southeast Asia.
- What it eats
- Omnivores: the African civet eats rodents and other small animals, invertebrates, eggs, carrion and plants.
Did you know
One of the world's most expensive coffees is made from beans it has eaten and passed.
Kopi luwak, one of the world’s most expensive coffees, is made from coffee cherries eaten and passed by the Asian palm civet.
The African civet sleeps in dense vegetation by day and wakes up at sunset.
Often confused with
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