Asian palm civet

in The Asian palm civet's long, stocky body is covered with coarse, shaggy hair that is usually greyish in colour. It has a white mask across the forehead, a small white patch under each eye, a white spot on each side of the nostrils, and a narrow dark line between the eyes. The muzzle, ears, lower legs, and distal half of the tail are black, with three rows of black markings on the body. Its head-to-body length is about with a long unringed tail. It weighs . Its anal scent glands emit a nauseating secretion as a chemical defense when threatened or upset. ==Distribution and habitat==

The Asian palm civet is widely distributed in South and Southeast Asia, ranging from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka to Myanmar, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, the Philippines, Borneo and the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Java, Bawean and Siberut. The Asian palm civet was introduced to Irian Jaya, the Lesser Sunda Islands, Maluku, and Sulawesi. Its presence in Papua New Guinea is uncertain. ==Behaviour and ecology==

, India , Kolkata, India The Asian palm civet is thought to lead a solitary lifestyle, except for brief periods during mating. It is both terrestrial and arboreal, showing a nocturnal activity pattern with peaks between late evening until after midnight. Scent marking behaviour and olfactory response to various excretions such as urine, feces, and secretion of the perineal gland differs in males and females. Scent marking by dragging the perineal gland and leaving the secretion on the substrate was most commonly observed in animals of both sexes. The duration of the olfactory response varied and depended both on the sex and excretion type. The palm civet can distinguish animal species, sex, familiar and unfamiliar individuals by the odor of the perineal gland secretion. Feeding and diet The Asian palm civet is an omnivore feeding foremost on fruits such as berries and pulpy fruits. It thus helps to maintain tropical forest ecosystems via seed dispersal. Reproduction Due to its solitary and nocturnal habits, little is known about its reproductive processes and behaviour. In March 2010, a pair of palm civets was observed when attempting to mate. The pair copulated on the tree branch for about five minutes. During that period, the male mounted the female 4–5 times. After each mounting, the pair separated for a few moments and repeated the same procedure. After completion of mating, the pair frolicked around for some time, moving from branch to branch on the tree. The animals separated after about six minutes and moved off to different branches and rested there. ==Threats==

Since 2008, the Asian palm civet is IUCN Red Listed as Least Concern. The global population was thought to be large and unlikely to be declining as of 2008. It is threatened by hunting and trapping, in particular in southern China; in some parts of India, some ethnic tribes kill and consume its meat. In Indonesia, it is threatened by poaching and the illegal wildlife trade; buyers use it for the production of kopi luwak made from coffee beans digested and excreted by Asian palm civets. They are housed in battery cage systems, which have been criticised on animal welfare grounds. In some parts of its range, Asian palm civets are hunted for bushmeat and the pet trade. ==Conservation ==

The Asian palm civet is listed on CITES Appendix III. This species has become popular as a pet in Indonesia in recent years, causing a rise in the numbers found in markets in Java and Bali. The majority of the animals sold as pets originate from the wild. The high numbers of animals seen, lack of adherence to the quota and lack of enforcement of the laws are causes for conservation concern. ==Taxonomy and evolution==

's The fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Mammalia. – Volume 1 It is the nominate subspecies and ranges in Sri Lanka and southern India as far north as the Narbada River. Several zoological specimens were described between 1820 and 1992: • Viverra musanga by Stamford Raffles in 1821 was a specimen from Sumatra • Viverra musanga, var. javanica by Thomas Horsfield in 1824 was a specimen from Java • Paradoxurus pallasii by John Edward Gray in 1832 was a specimen from India • Paradoxurus philippinensis by Claude Jourdan in 1837 was a specimen from the Philippines However, a genetic study in 2015 reclassifies it as a separate species. • P. h. setosus by Honoré Jacquinot and Pucheran in 1853 • P. h. nictitans by Taylor in 1891 was a specimen from Odisha; ==In culture==

In Philippine mythology, the Bagobo people believe a being named Lakivot was said to be a huge and powerful palm civet who can talk. Lakivot defeated various monsters, including the one-eyed monster Ogassi and the busaw beings who guarded the Tree of Gold, which had the Flower of Gold that he sought. He was eventually transformed into a handsome young man, and married the person to whom he gave the Flower of Gold. The Philippine twenty-peso note currently features the Asian palm civet on the reverse side. ==References==