Is A Civet A Member Of The Cat Family?

A civet is often referred to as the "civet-cat" but this is a misnomer. The civet is actually a member of the mongoose family, the Viverridae.

The civet is a striking mammal, with a long sleek body and a coat boldly marked with an attractive pattern of black, grey and white blotches and stripes. Its fur is long and coarse to the touch. Along its spine, from forehead to tail tip, the fur is particularly coarse and during threat displays, this dorsal crest is raised. Unusually, female civets are heavier than males at around 11 kg.

Civets normally opt for well watered areas where there is sufficient cover form high grass or palm thickets. They are nocturnal on the whole, but can occasionally be seen in the early morning or on overcast days.

Carrion is their main food source, but civets will eat a wide range of food stuffs from insects to rodents, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians, and fruit.