Civet (family Viverridae)

MammalViverridaeNocturnal

Overview

Civets are small-to-medium, cat-like mammals of the family Viverridae, found across Africa and southern Asia. Despite a superficially feline look, they are not cats; they belong to their own group of carnivorans. The African civet (Civettictis civetta), shown here, is a large, boldly marked example with a black-and-white patterned coat, a crest of fur along the back, and a masked face.

Civets are mostly nocturnal, secretive, and solitary, and many are skilled climbers. They are best known to people for their musky scent secretion and, in some species, an unusual link to coffee.

Note: “civet” covers many different species with varied diets and habits; details here use the African civet as a reference. Treat general statements as approximate and verify against authoritative sources.

Habitat & Range

Civets live in a range of habitats depending on the species — forests, woodlands, savannas, and areas near water — across sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia. The African civet favours well-vegetated areas with good cover and is often associated with grasslands and forest edges.

Diet

Most civets are omnivores with a broad, opportunistic diet. The African civet eats insects, small vertebrates (including rodents, reptiles, and birds), eggs, carrion, fruit, and other plant matter. This flexibility lets civets exploit whatever food is seasonally available.

Behavior

Civets are typically nocturnal and solitary, marking their territories with a strong-smelling secretion from a perineal scent gland. This substance, historically called “civet,” was once harvested for the perfume industry — a use that raised serious animal-welfare concerns and has largely been replaced by synthetics. Some Asian palm civets are also linked to “civet coffee,” made from beans that have passed through the animal's gut, an industry likewise criticised on welfare grounds.

Human Interaction & Conservation

People have long used the civet's scent secretion in perfumery and, more recently, kept civets for “civet coffee” production — practices that have drawn welfare criticism. Civets also feature in the wildlife trade and were studied during disease-outbreak investigations. Many species remain fairly common, but some face habitat loss and hunting pressure. Consult authoritative sources for species-specific status.

More photos of the civet