Viverra

Malay civet ( Viverra tangalunga )

The Asian civets ( Viverra ) are a predator species from the family of civets ( Viverridae ). The genus includes four species.

Description

Asian civet cats are outside cats like animals, but are distinguished by the pointed head and the relatively long legs. Their fur is long and soft, longer hair at the top of the back form a dorsal crest. The basic color is gray with black spots, whose size depends on the type. Black is also the dorsal crest and legs. The throat is provided with several black-and- white stripes, and the tail is ringed in black and white.

These animals can reach a body length 59-95 cm, a tail length of 30-48 centimeters and a weight of 5 to 11 kg.

Distribution and habitat

Asian civets are native to South and Southeast Asia, their range extends from India and southern China to the southern Philippines and Borneo. They inhabit a variety of habitats such as forests, bush and grassland. They are often found in nearby cities and villages.

Way of life

Asian civet cats live mainly on the ground and rarely climb trees. They are exclusively nocturnal and hide during the day in dense vegetation or burrows of other animals relate. They live solitary outside the breeding season and are territorial animals that mark their territory with smelly secretions of their Perianaldrüsen. This secretion plays a known role in the perfume industry as civet.

Food

Civet cats are skilled hunters, on the menu are small mammals, birds, snakes, frogs, insects, fish and crabs. But sometimes they also take fruits and roots itself.

Reproduction

Once or twice a year, the female gives birth to the young world, the litter size is usually two or three cubs. Even after a month of weaning begins. Life expectancy is estimated to be five to 15 years, animals in captivity can reach more than 20 years.

Asian civet cats and humans

Asian civet cats were used for the production of Civet, a secretion used in perfume production of their Perianaldrüsen. This practice is however on the decline as civet is now mostly made ​​of artificial substitutes. As animals that can live in the nearby cities, they are widely used and not part of the endangered species, with the exception of the endangered Malabar civet.

Systematics and species

There are four types of Asian civet cats:

• The Indian civet ( Viverra zibetha ) is located in eastern India as well as in Southeast Asia, its range extends from Nepal to southern China and Thailand. Their fur is slightly mottled and sometimes gives a marbled impression. In contrast to the small Indian civet, which is classified in a separate genus ( Viverricula ), it is also known as the Great Indian civet.
• The Malay civet cat or small spot civet, also called tangalunga ( Viverra tangalunga ), lives on the Malay Peninsula, Indonesia and the southern Philippines. Their coat has small black spots. To Zibetgewinnung the species has naturalized in several Southeast Asian islands.
• The large-spotted civet ( Viverra megaspila ) is native to much of Southeast Asia. It has larger and more visible spots than the other types in the rule.
• The Malabar civet ( Viverra civettina ) inhabits a small area in south-western India and one of the most endangered mammal species. The total population is estimated at fewer than 250 animals, the IUCN lists the species as critically endangered.

The latter two species are compared in the subgenus Moschothera the other. In some classifications, the Malabar civet is only valid as a subspecies of the large-spotted civet.

In addition to the recent species, the genus includes also a number of extinct representatives who were spread not only in Asia but also in Europe and Africa. Viverra leakeyi from the south-eastern Africa is the largest species of the genus.