Masked palm civet

The genus name Paguma was first proposed and described by John Edward Gray in 1831. Reginald Innes Pocock thought the genus comprises two species, namely: • P. lanigera in northern Nepal and Tibet and • P. larvata with eight subspecies from the Himalayan foothills to southern China, Southeast Asia up to Indonesia. == Characteristics ==

The masked palm civet's fur is grayish to ochraceous, black on the head, shoulders and neck, and blackish brown on the tail and feet. It has a white blaze on the forehead; white marks above and below the eyes extend to the ears, forming a half-collar. In morphology the masked palm civet resembles other palm civets, but does not have spots or stripes. Its tail is more than two-thirds the length of head and body. It has two pairs of mammae. The species having a large repartition, differences in morphological parameters can be observable in different populations. Adults of this species usually have a body length of , a tail measuring and a weight between , although some adults can be lighter or heavier (see table below). == Distribution and habitat ==

The masked palm civet is distributed from the northern parts of the Indian subcontinent, especially the Himalayas, ranging eastwards across Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam to China, Borneo, Sumatra, Taiwan, and the Andaman and Nicobar islands. It also inhabits fragmented forest habitats, albeit at reduced density. == Ecology and behaviour ==

The masked palm civet is a nocturnal solitary predator that is occasionally active during the day. It is partly arboreal. When alarmed, the masked palm civet sprays a secretion from its anal gland to deter predators. Feeding and diet The masked palm civet is an omnivore feeding on rats and birds as well as on fruit such as figs, mangoes, bananas, and leaves. Reproduction Masked palm civets are polyestrous and their mating behavior is promiscuous. Upon completion of copulation, males leave a mating plug in the female's vaginal tract. The young grow to the size of an adult in about three months. == Threats ==

The major threats for the masked palm civet are continued habitat destruction and hunting for bushmeat. It is widely offered in restaurants in southern China and is also eaten in Vietnam. ==Conservation==

Paguma larvata is protected in Malaysia and China, but not Thailand and Nepal. The population of India is listed on CITES Appendix III. == Connection with SARS ==

In May 2003, the SARS virus was isolated in several masked palm civets found in a wildlife market in Guangdong, China. Evidence of virus infection was also detected in other animals including a raccoon dog, and in humans working at the same market. In 2006, scientists from the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention of the University of Hong Kong and the Guangzhou Centre for Disease Control and Prevention established a direct genetic link between the SARS coronavirus appearing in civets and humans, bearing out claims that the disease had jumped across species. == References ==