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]]