Banded palm civet

The genus Hemigalus was named and first described in 1837 by Claude Jourdan who had a skin and skeleton of one zoological specimen at his disposal. In the same year, John Edward Gray described a specimen from the Malay Peninsula under the names Paradoxurus derbyanus and Paradoxurus derbianus. In 1939, Reginald Innes Pocock subordinated banded palm civet specimens described between 1837 and 1915 under the genus Hemigalus and recognised that it is a monotypic taxon. The genus name is derived from the Greek hemi (half) and galus (weasel), due to its appearance. Subspecies There are four subspecies: H. derbyanus derbyanus, H. d. boiei, H. d. minor, and H. d. sipora. H. d. derbyanus is known from Myanmar and mainland Malaysia as well as Sumatra; H. d. boiei is known only from Borneo; H. d. minor, from South Pagai and the Mentawai islands; and H. d. sipora, from Sipora and the Mentawai islands. There is also a population on Siberut island, but it has not been attributed to any subspecies. It is estimated that H. d. minor and H. d. derbyanus diverged from each other some 2.7 million years ago. == Description ==

The banded palm civet's fur is usually pale in colour, and they have between seven and eight dark bands on their face and on their back. The pale colour is typically pale brown, grey, whitish or buff, but can also be yellowish; the bands are usually dark brown, black, or chestnut in colour. It is roughly the size of domestic cat, growing up to in length – minus the tail – and weighing from . The tail is usually three-quarters the length of the body and head combined, and appear to swell in size in response to a threat. It has sensitive hairs in between the pads of its paws for sensing prey. == Distribution and habitat ==

The banded palm civet is native to Myanmar, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, the Mentawai Islands and Borneo from sea level up to an elevation of . In 2022, it was photographed by a camera trap for the first time in a reserved forest in Tanintharyi Region. In Thailand, it was photographed during camera trap surveys in the years 1996–2013 in Khlong Saeng Wildlife Sanctuary, Khao Sok National Park, Kui Buri National Park and Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary, all in evergreen forests at elevations of . In Peninsular Malaysia, it was recorded in just two locations during surveys in 2011–2012 in a hilly dipterocarp forest in Terengganu. In Sumatra, it was recorded at an elevation of in primary forest in Kerinci Seblat National Park and on the west coast also at . In Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, it was photographed in primary evergreen forest at the elevation of in 2011. In South Solok Regency, it was recorded in forest fragments within an oil palm plantation adjacent to Kerinci Seblat National Park in 2015. It was extirpated in Singapore in the early 20th century. == Behaviour and ecology ==

The banded palm civet is nocturnal and spends the day in low tree holes. Banded palm civets hunt around water or along the forest floor. Reproduction Females have one or two litters a year with one or two young. The gestation period varies from 32 to 64 days. == Threats ==

The major threat to the banded palm civet is loss and destruction of natural habitat loss by logging and subsequent conversion to agriculture, plantations and construction of dams. It is hunted and eaten by local people in Sabah. In 2022, it was estimated that the population has declined to just 21% of the IUCN Red List distribution. == Conservation ==

The banded palm civet is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, and the global population is thought to be decreasing. It is protected under CITES' Appendix II. About 24% of its estimated range is in protected areas. but a later (2022) study estimated that value to be only 12%. == Notes ==