It was my kind of meeting: coffee with a wildlife twist. At a recent work gathering at The Nature Conservancy’s headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, my colleague Alex Novak promised a special treat.
Alex, always overflowing with enthusiasm, buzzed around the conference room. And he wasn’t even caffeinated yet. He had just visited Indonesian Borneo with corporate partner Arhaus, a furniture brand. Arhaus has made a commitment to help conserve vital rainforest habitat, and a key component of that is ensuring a future for orangutans and other wildlife. Alex hadn’t seen an orangutan – wildlife can be tricky to spot in the thick rainforest – but he did have an encounter with a palm civet.
That encounter inspired the morning’s coffee: Alex had brought back some of the now-famous “civet coffee,” coffee made from beans eaten, digested and defecated from civets (he made sure to source this from free-roaming animals).
Beyond the coffee, how much do you know about civets? They are incredibly cool mammals you really should know. Let’s take a look at some of the interesting species, as well as their tangled history with humans.
But first: What is, and isn’t, a civet?
What Is a Civet?
Civets look vaguely feline, or perhaps like a long-legged weasel. They’re neither. They are members of the carnivore family Viverridae, which includes civets, palm civets and genets. There are around 38 species of viverrids, found in southern Europe, large swaths of southern Asia and central, eastern and southern Africa.
You aren’t likely to purchase your kid a civet stuffed toy, nor will you see an animated civet in a Disney movie. Why? They are cute and charismatic, yet outside of their range, remain relatively unknown.
It’s probably in no small part due to their habits and life histories. Civets are nocturnal, elusive and often found in trees. This makes them difficult to spot (which is part of the appeal for dedicated mammal enthusiasts, as we’ll see). They often even evade trail cameras.
Many civet species are omnivorous, with some specializing in eating fruit. They are generally solitary, joining other civets only to breed. They are known for their scent glands, which they use to mark trees and rocks as they travel.
What Isn’t a Civet?
While civets are not found in North America, the name “civet cat” is applied colloquially to a couple of unrelated animals.
The spotted skunk is one. Spotted skunks do look a bit different from the more common striped skunk, but it’s a stretch to say they look like either civets or cats. The only explanation I can make is that the spotted skunk has a milder, muskier spray than the striped skunk. Civets are known for their musk, which has been used as a base in perfumes for centuries. (For more on spotted skunks, check out TNC’s camera trap footage from the Channel Islands).
Another animal often called a “civet cat” is the ringtail. The ringtail is a member of the raccoon family (Procyonidae). The ringtail is a cute, nocturnal mammal to attract both folk names (miner’s cat is another). It is not uncommon in the southwestern United States and Mexico, where it can often be seen searching for scraps around national park campsites and birding lodges.
The ringtail is not a civet but its looks and habits bear a remarkable resemblance to another viverrid, the genet. A couple of genet species are coincidentally also known for making appearances to get handouts at safari lodges in eastern and southern Africa.
About That Coffee
That cup of coffee I enjoyed with colleagues gave civets a certain level of fame. Palm civets eat coffee fruits and the beans are collected after being digested and defecated. This process allegedly the coffee smoother and less bitter.
Called kopi luwak, this coffee is difficult to collect in the wild, as the civets only eat fully ripe coffee fruits. This led to an industry where palm civets are kept in small cages and fed coffee fruits, a practice that has been condemned for being cruel and also requiring the capture of wild civets.
And how does wild-harvested kopi musang taste? During our TNC office tasting, the consensus was that it was “good coffee” and smooth. Would I have been able to tell this coffee was special without knowing its provenance? Probably not.
Really, the story of the coffee is what makes it special. My colleague Alex used it as an occasion to share stories of Borneo and the conservation successes happening there, a special coffee for a special occasion.
Humans and Civets
In addition to capturing civets for coffee production, humans have exploited these mammals in a variety of other ways. Civet musk has been used an ingredient in high-end perfumes for at least 2,000 years.
While synthetic chemicals can now replace civet musk, perfumes that use real civet musk, or civetone, still command high prices. This leads to wild harvest of civets, that are also kept in small, inhumane cages.
Many civet species are hunted for meat or captured for the pet trade, and these may be unsustainable harvests. Perhaps even more serious, many species of civets are at risk from deforestation and the loss of their forest habitat.
Conservation that keeps rainforests healthy and connected for iconic species like orangutans also benefits lesser-known mammals like civets.
Let’s take a look at some of the coolest civets and their interesting habits and habitats.
Palm Civets
I heard scratching on the roof of our cottage, located near the Chambal River in India. I flicked on my flashlight and saw a mammal form, not overly alarmed, patrolling the thatched roof. The curious mammal stepped closer and stared at me: a common palm civet.
This species is quite common in India and, unlike many civet species, has adapted well to living on the edges of villages and agricultural lands. In parts of the country, palms are tapped for palm wine, also known as toddy. The palm civet is known to raid these taps, earning them the local name “toddy cat.”
There are 9 palm civet species, all of which feed primarily on fruit, with figs and palm nectar and fruits being preferred. According to the Phillipps’ Field Guide to the Mammals of Borneo, palm civets play an important role in rainforest seed dispersal. The civets defecate in open areas, unwittingly providing the seeds with plenty of sunlight. One study found that they dispersed 19 species of plants.
Binturong
The binturong is the largest civet species, with some individuals weighing in excess of 70 pounds. It is also called a bearcat, and it’s easy to see why. It has that lumbering gait and shaggy appearance of bear, but yet is also vaguely feline.
The binturong needs rainforest habitat, and in particular fruiting trees. As the journal Oryx notes, many rainforest trees fruit only once every few years, potentially creating food shortages.
“It is therefore no surprise that binturongs have developed a particular appetite for figs, a group of trees that fruit year-round and thus provides a reliable food source,” according to the journal.
The binturong allegedly smells much like buttered movie popcorn. Originally thought to be a glandular scent, recent research has found that smell actually comes from compounds in its urine. As Zoo Atlanta notes, “Binturongs urinate in a squatting position, soaking their feet and tails, which they drag behind them to leave a scent trail.”
The University of Cincinatti’s mascot is the bearcat. Like many mascot origin stories, this one had nothing to do with the Asian mammal. But in recent years, the Cincinnati Zoo’s binturong has made appearances at UC football games.
Otter Civet
Borneo is well-known for its mammal diversity, with orangutans the focus of much conservation attention. There are also some other really spectacular possibilities for the serious mammal watcher, including sun bear, clouded leopard and a variety of primates.
It is also a great place to see civets. The fact that civets are nocturnal and elusive only seems to add to the appeal. It’s home to the aforementioned binturong, the gorgeous banded civet and more. But perhaps the biggest prize for the hardcore mammal enthusiast is the otter civet.
If you could study this animal up close, which is unlikely, it is almost impossibly cute. As the Civet Project notes, “they carry similar characteristics to otters in their broad face, long thick whiskers, dark pelt and webbed feet. Unlike otters, they have a very characteristic short stumpy tail!”
This secretive creature lives along the edge of water. Recently, hardcore wildlife watching enthusiasts have had some luck spotting this species in Borneo, but doing so means foregoing sleep and spending all-nighters spotlighting the forest.
Unfortunately, this species has declined precipitously in recent years, largely due to conversion of rainforest habitat and water pollution.
African Civet
The second largest civet after the binturong, the African civet has a wide range throughout the central, eastern and southern parts of the continent. It is found in many of sub-Saharan Africa’s best-known wildlife reserves, but few safari goers will see one.
This species is omnivorous, willing to raid a camp dumpster or eat eggs, small mammals and invertebrates. Africa Geographic notes its preference for millipedes:
“Millipedes secrete hydrogen cyanide and hydrochloric acid – a noxious combination that deters all but the most determined predators. Though the mechanisms are not fully elucidated, civets can eat and process these toxins, presumably without any discomfort, as millipedes form one of the main components of their diets.”
If you’re lucky enough to go on a wildlife-focused trip in tropical Asia or sub-Saharan Africa, it’s always worth going on a few night safaris. You might be lucky enough to see one of the civet species, beautiful animals that benefit from healthy, connected forest habitats.
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