A black and white nocturnal mammal that belongs to the same family as a mongoose. It is an omnivore which is the same shape and size as a racoon, it specialises in eating millipedes despite the cyanide which they contain. Their habitat preference is for forest and dense woodland where the vegetation is thicker.
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In a confrontation the civet will make itself look 1/3 bigger from the side by raising a crest of long hair along its back.
Civets will regularly scavenge and have been known to eat the stomach contents of dead herbivores for the grass.
The pungent secretion from a civet’s anal gland is known as civetone. Because this can hold its smell for three to four months it is used as a fixtitive in perfume.
As omnivores civets will eat a wide range of food including millipedes which most other animals would avoid due to the cyanide that they contain.
Civets will scent mark frequently by reversing backwards up a tree or rock where it will wipe its anal gland against the surface. It is thought that they do this to make themselves appear bigger to other civets.
A civet kitten will have its own dedicated teat when suckling from its mother.
Civet faeces are much bigger than you would expect for an animal of its size.
