Civet: Civettictis civetta
Characteristics
Weight and Height
males: wt 15-44 lb (7-20 kg), ht 14-16 in (35-40 cm)
females: wt 12-36 lb (6-17 kg), ht 11-13 in (27.5-32.5 cm)
Color
Buff to dark or yellow-gray; spots, stripes and blotches cover coat; black nose, throat, ears, neck and feet.
General Locations
In almost all tropical areas of Africa except for deserts and subdeserts; generally any place with abundant food and water.
Habitat
The civet will eat almost anything that it can find due to the fact that the civet does not have the ability to climb or dig efficiently. Civets will feed on: invertebrates and vertebrates up to the size of a small antelope, carrion, and numerous vegetables, berries, and fruits. Civets must find habitats which offer dense undergrowth, plenty of holes dug by other animals or other places where the civet can hide and feel protected.
Activity
The civet is strictly a nocturnal animal.
Social Systems
To date, very little is known about the civet because field studies have not been conducted.
Reproduction
Civets are seasonal breeders which means that a birth peak is generally early in the rainy season. Civets can have up to 4 young at a time and the gestation period is approximately 80 days.
Predators
Spotted hyena and man.
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