Specimen Showcase | Smelly Cat 🎶

The masked palm civet, 𝘗𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘮𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘢 (Smith, 1827), is a widespread species of civet found in Southern and South-East Asia, including Hong Kong, where it particularly enjoys forest habitats. 🌳 The civets (Viverridae family) include 34 species distributed in the Old world, and these mammals which look like a cross between a cat and a raccoon, are sometimes referred to as “civet cats”, and are actually more closely related to the mongooses (Herpestidae) than to cats (Felidae). 😾 They are slightly larger than cats (around 60 cm long and about 3 kg) and can live up to 10 to 15 years.

Masked palm civets are nocturnal omnivorous animals, which means they are most active and hunt for food at night. 🦎 They eat anything from rodents, lizards, snakes, mollusks, insects and frogs to fruits and leaves. Their frugivory activity (fruit eating) is not anecdotal, as they play an important ecological role in the dispersal of seeds of at least 15 plants through their faeces in Hong Kong (e.g. the shrub 𝘈𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴, Shaba holly - 𝘐𝘭𝘦𝘹 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴). Amazing and speedy climbers, they spend around 80% of their time in the top parts of trees, where they sleep during the day and are safe from predators such as tigers, leopards, and hawks.

Masked palm civets are solitary and territorial animals. They mark 0.4 to 0.8 km² sections of forest area as their own by spreading a stinky chemical produced in their anal glands but can use much larger territory up to 4.5 km². When confronted with a predator, they spray this scent to try to scare or disgust the threat away, much like skunks do. 🦨 It’s very effective!

🏬 Every few years including recently there’s news in Hong Kong of civet sightings inside buildings - residential, offices, even a hospital. The curious little creatures often find their way in and have trouble getting out, sometimes requiring the help of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department workers to be freed back into the wild.

We have two adult masked palm civets at the HKBM which you can study up close with zero risk of smelly spray! That’s the level of risk we enjoy. 😮‍💨

Text: Elvira Rey Redondo

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