African Civet
1291713
213896128
2008-05-21T06:56:19Z
153.2.246.30
{{Taxobox
| name = African Civet
| status = LR/lc
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[Mammal]]ia
| ordo = [[Carnivora]]
| familia = [[Viverridae]]
| subfamilia = [[Viverrinae]]
| genus = '''''Civettictis'''''
| species = '''''C. civetta'''''
| binomial = ''Civettictis civetta''
|image=AfricanCivet.jpg
| binomial_authority = ([[Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber|Schreber]], 1776)
}}
The '''African Civet''' is a common [[civet|viverrid]] native to tropical [[Africa]]. Unlike many other members of the [[family (biology)|family]], which resemble [[cat]]s, the African Civet resembles a short [[dog]]-like animal. Its coarse coat varies but is usually an ornate pattern of black and white contrasting bands and blotches, with a white face mask and black eye patches (like that of a [[raccoon]]) and a pale muzzle. Like all civets it has perianal [[gland]]s that produce a fluid known as [[civetone]] (used in the [[perfume]] industry), which it spreads on markers in its territory to claim its range.
The African Civet ranges across Sub-[[Saharan]] Africa (except [[Somalia]]) and most of [[Botswana]], [[Namibia]] and [[South Africa]]. It lives in [[forest]]s, both dense [[rainforest]], or in partly forested [[Habitat (ecology)|mosaic]]s, as well as in drier country where cover exists (along watercourses or rock outcroppings). Although they are frequently taken by [[Trapping (Animal)|snares]] left out for [[jackal]]s and are victims of [[roadkill]], they are not considered threatened.
The African Civet is an [[omnivore|omnivorous]] generalist, taking both small vertebrates, invertebrates, eggs, carrion, and vegetable matter. It is capable of taking on poisonous invertebrates (such as the [[millipede]]s most other species avoid) and snakes, and tackling large prey items such as [[mongoose]]s and [[hare]]s. It forages by itself, and is a mostly solitary animal that avoids the presence of others of its species. <ref>The Kingdom Field Guide to African Mammals ''by'' Jonathan Kingdom, [[1997]]; ISBN 0-7136-6513-0</ref>
==References==
<references />
{{commons|Civettictis civetta}}
{{Viverridae nav}}
[[Category:Fauna of Angola]]
[[Category:Fauna of Botswana]]
[[Category:Fauna of Burkina Faso]]
[[Category:Fauna of the Democratic Republic of the Congo]]
[[Category:Fauna of East Africa]]
[[Category:Fauna of Ethiopia]]
[[Category:Mammals of Kenya]]
[[Category:Fauna of Namibia]]
[[Category:Fauna of the Republic of the Congo]]
[[Category:Fauna of the Sahara]]
[[Category:Fauna of South Africa]]
[[Category:Fauna of Sudan]]
[[Category:Fauna of Tanzania]]
[[Category:Fauna of West Africa]]
[[Category:Fauna of Zambia]]
[[Category:Carnivores of Africa]]
[[Category:Viverrids]]
[[cs:Cibetka africká]]
[[de:Afrikanische Zibetkatze]]
[[fr:Civettictis civetta]]
[[it:Civettictis civetta]]
[[lt:Afrikinė civeta]]
[[nl:Afrikaanse civetkat]]
[[pl:Cyweta afrykańska]]
[[pt:Civeta-africana]]
[[sv:Civett]]