Quick stats of the African Civet

• Diet: - Carnivore
• Shoulder Height: - 0.4 m
• Weight: - Male - 14 kg
• Weight: - Female - 15 kg
• Lifespan - 12 years

Description

The fairly large Civet cat has a preference for bushveld near rivers or dams with sufficient trees and shrubs in which to hide.. Civets are well-known for the strong smell of the secretions from their scent glands. Commonly known as musk, this secretion is one of the important components of some perfumes.

They are solitary animals and are not often seen as they are most active at night where they prowl on small creatures such as mice, rats, birds, lizards and insects. By day, they hide in sheltered crevices, hollow logs, old burrows and tunnels, or in thick masses of shaded vegetation. Their shaggy coats are spotted and striped with bold camouflage patches and blobs of black and white, much like the leopard and cheetah. Colour patterns vary between individuals. The black marking on the lower legs and the black and white markings on the neck and ears are common to all.

The female gives birth to 2 - 4 young after a gestation period of 2 months.

Other Names for the African Civet

• Siwet
• Civet Cat

Distribution

Distribution map of the African Civet

Taxonomy of the African Civet

• Order - Carnivora
• Family - Viverrinae
• Genus - Viverra
• Species - Viverra civetta