Details
Civettictis civetta
African civet is a large nocturnal African civet with bold black-and-white markings. Harvest of civet musk for perfume has raised animal-welfare concerns.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It inhabits forest, savanna, grassland, and rural edges across sub-Saharan Africa. Main habitat types in this guide are forest, grassland, savanna.
Typical length 67-84 cm, weight 7 kg-20 kg. Black-and-white spots and stripes, a dorsal crest, and a heavy tail are distinctive.
It is nocturnal and usually solitary. It walks on the ground at night and marks areas with repeated latrine sites.
It is omnivorous. Fruit, insects, small vertebrates, eggs, and carrion are all eaten.
Young are born in cover or burrows and raised in sheltered sites.
Although still widespread in places, it remains sensitive to habitat change. Harvest of civet musk for perfume has raised animal-welfare concerns.
