African civet - Facts and Information

African civet has short grey fur covered with black spots arranged in several rows. African civet has 40 sharp teeth which are used for catching of prey.

Quick Facts

Common Name	African Civet
Scientific Name	Civettictis civetta
Group	Mammal
Skin Type	Fur
Group Behaviour	Solitary
Colour	Black, White, Grey, Yellow, Brown, Tan
Size (L)	43cm - 71cm (17in - 28in)
Weight	1.4kg - 4.5kg (3lbs - 10lbs)
Gestation Period	60 - 70 days
Diet	Omnivore
Prey	Rodents, Snakes, Frogs
Predators	Lions, Snakes, Leopards
Lifestyle	Nocturnal
Lifespan	15 - 20 years
Age of Sexual Maturity	11 - 12 months

Appearance

The African Civet has short, dense fur that's a greyish colour, with black spots arranged in rows along their bodies. Their legs and about 2/3 of their tail is black, with a few third of the bottom of their tail having striped markings. Their face is solid grey apart from a white muzzle and black markings round the eyes that lead down the face. Their long necks have bars of white and black running down the edges , usually one white bar enclosed by two black bars, one above and one below.

They have a brief mane of about 3-10cm long that runs along their back. Civets have 40 teeth. They have five digits on each paw with non-retractable claws. Civets have six mammae. Their head and body length is 680-890mm, tail length is 445-63mm, and weight is 7-20 Kg. The colour is black with white or yellowish spots, stripes, and bands. The long and coarse hair is thick on the tail. From Viverra, Civettictis is distinguished by much larger molar teeth and a far broader lower carnassial.

Diet

The omnivorous diet includes carrion, rodents, birds, eggs, reptiles, frogs, crabs, insects, fruits, and other vegetation. Poultry and young lambs are sometimes taken. This nocturnal animal is most active about an hour or so after dark when they search for insects, mice, reptiles, frogs, birds and they would even scavenge and eat fruit.

Breeding

African Civet females are sexually active at one year old and may have two litters a year. A litter of 1 to 3 young is common. Females are polyestrous and are ready to have two or three litters a year. There are usually 1 to 4 young in a litter. Young Civets are born in advanced stages relative to most carnivores. They are fully furred, although the fur is darker, shorter, and softer than adult fur. Their markings are more poorly defined than those of adults. Young are ready to crawl at birth, and therefore the hind legs support the body by the 5th day.

They start leaving the nest between 17-18 days, and therefore the first sign of play behavior is seen at about 2 weeks. The young are completely dependent on mother's milk for about 6 weeks. After about 42 days, their mother provides them with solid food. By the second month, they're catching food for themselves.

Behaviour

The African Civet is solitary, except when breeding. Knowledge of the habits of the civets is limited because they are nocturnal and have a secretive life style. They mark their territories and advertise their presence by frequently rubbing secretions from the perineal glands on objects about 350 mm above ground. This glandular secretion has a strong musky odour which can last up to three months.

Civets are generally solitary but have a variety of visual, olfactory, and auditory means of communication. Individuals may have defined and well-marked territories. The scent glands have a major social role, leaving scent along a path to convey information, such as whether a female is in oestrus. Civets are rather docile in behaviour.

Habitat

African Civets live both within the forest and in open country, but they appear to need a covering of tall grasses or thicket to supply safety within the daytime. They rarely can be found in arid regions of Africa. Instead, they're usually found on the brink of permanent water systems. It seems to use a permanent burrow or nest only to bear young. It is nocturnal and almost completely terrestrial but takes to water readily and swims well.

Where they are found

The African Civet, inhabits the savannahs and therefore the forests of southern and Central African Republic. The African Civet is never found in arid regions, however, it are often found along river systems that project into the arid areas of Niger, Mali, and Chad.