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Wildlife Guide · Sub-Saharan Africa

Civet

Civettictis civetta (Schreber, 1776)

Africa's masked night wanderer — famous for musk, misunderstood as a species.

Least Concern (IUCN, 2015) — African civet
An African civet with a masked face, spotted coat and erect black dorsal crest walking along a forest path at night.

Image: Source: Wikimedia Commons — verify license before production

In brief

Civets are nocturnal viverrids of Africa and Asia; the African civet (Civettictis civetta) is Least Concern and widespread across sub-Saharan Africa, though Asian species face habitat loss and civet musk farming raises welfare concerns.

By the WARN Research & Conservation TeamChecked against IUCN Red List & CITES sourcesLast updated

Civets are cat-like carnivorans of the family Viverridae, found in Africa and Asia. The African civet is the largest civet species, weighing up to 20 kg, with a distinctive black-and-white masked face, spotted coat and erect dorsal crest. Civets are mainly nocturnal and solitary, foraging for fruit, insects and small vertebrates. The species is best known historically for civet musk — a secretion used in perfumery — which led to civet farming. Listed as Least Concern, African civets remain widespread but face habitat loss and hunting. Asian civet species, including the small Indian civet and masked palm civet, face similar pressures; kopi luwak coffee production from caged palm civets remains a welfare concern.

Least Concern

IUCN status — African civet (2015)

~35

Civet species across Africa and Asia

20 kg

Maximum weight — African civet

Appendix III

CITES listing (Botswana)

Figures sourced from IUCN Red List — Civettictis civetta, CITES — Checklist of CITES Species, Encyclopaedia Britannica — civet .

Civet: Quick Facts

Vital statistics and key facts about the Civet
Weight 7–20 kg (African civet)
Activity Mainly nocturnal and solitary
Diet Omnivorous — fruit, insects, small vertebrates
Distinctive feature Masked face; erect dorsal crest
Musk Perineal gland secretion used in perfumery
CITES Appendix III (Botswana)

Scientific Classification

Scientific classification of the Civet
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Carnivora
Family Viverridae
Genus Civettictis
Species Civettictis civetta (Schreber, 1776)

Conservation Status

IUCN Status
African civet Least Concern (IUCN, 2015). Several Asian civet species more threatened.
Population
No global count; African civet widespread and stable
Trend
Stable for African civet; decreasing for some Asian species
Assessed
2015 (African civet)
CITES
Appendix III (Botswana)

Key Facts: Civet

  • Civets are viverrids — related to binturongs and genets, not cats.
  • The African civet is the largest civet species, with a distinctive masked face.
  • Civet musk from perineal glands was historically farmed for perfumery.
  • Kopi luwak coffee from caged Asian palm civets raises serious welfare concerns.
  • Most civet species are nocturnal, solitary and omnivorous.
  • Habitat loss and hunting threaten Asian civet species more than the African civet.

Civets across two continents

Roughly 35 civet species occupy the family Viverridae across Africa and Asia. The African civet (Civettictis civetta) is the largest, ranging across sub-Saharan Africa in woodland, savanna and rainforest. Asian civets include the small Indian civet (Viverricula indica), the masked palm civet (Paguma larvata) and the Malay civet (Viverra tangalunga). All share a general body plan: elongated body, short legs, long tail and anal scent glands used for marking territory. Civets are not cats — they belong to a separate carnivore lineage that also includes binturongs and genets.

Civet musk and kopi luwak

Civet musk — a thick, oily secretion from perineal glands — has been used in perfumery for centuries. Historically, African and Asian civets were kept in cages and the secretion scraped from glands, a practice that continues in some regions. Synthetic alternatives now exist for most perfumery applications. Kopi luwak — coffee made from beans passed through the digestive tract of Asian palm civets — drives demand for caged civets in Indonesia. Civets are confined in small cages and force-fed coffee cherries, causing severe welfare problems. Ethical coffee certification excludes caged-sourced kopi luwak.

Ecology and behaviour

African civets are mainly nocturnal and solitary, patrolling home ranges of roughly 1–4 km². They are omnivorous, eating fruit, insects, rodents, birds, eggs and carrion. An erectile dorsal crest runs along the spine, raised during aggression or alarm. Civets communicate through scent marking — the musk secretion is deposited on rocks, logs and vegetation. Females give birth to one to four young in dense cover. Civets are adaptable and persist in secondary forest and near human settlement, though primary forest supports higher densities.

Conservation across species

The African civet is Least Concern with a stable population across most of sub-Saharan Africa. Several Asian civet species face greater pressure from deforestation and hunting. The Malabar civet (Viverra civettina) of India is Critically Endangered and may be extinct. CITES Appendix III in Botswana regulates African civet exports. Reducing demand for wild-sourced musk and caged kopi luwak, protecting forest habitat and enforcing anti-trafficking law benefit all civet species. WARN's work in Indonesia overlaps palm civet range, where kopi luwak farming remains a welfare and conservation concern.

What WARN Does

WARN funds anti-trafficking and habitat work in Indonesia, where palm civets are caged for kopi luwak production. This civet guide is free public education about a family of mammals caught between forest loss and exploitative trade.

If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.

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Civet: Frequently Asked Questions

What is civet musk used for?
Civet musk — a glandular secretion — was historically used in perfumery as a fixative. Synthetic alternatives now exist for most applications. Some traditional perfumers still use small quantities of farmed musk.

Is kopi luwak made from civets?
Yes. Kopi luwak coffee is made from beans that have passed through the digestive tract of Asian palm civets. Most commercial kopi luwak now comes from caged civets force-fed coffee cherries — a serious welfare concern.

Are civets cats?
No. Civets belong to the family Viverridae, a separate branch of carnivorans that also includes binturongs and genets. They resemble cats superficially but are not closely related.

Where do civets live?
Civets inhabit Africa and Asia — woodland, savanna, rainforest and secondary forest. The African civet ranges across sub-Saharan Africa; Asian species occur from India to Indonesia and southern China.

Are civets endangered?
The African civet is Least Concern. Several Asian species are more threatened — the Malabar civet of India is Critically Endangered and may be extinct.

What do civets eat?
Civets are omnivorous, eating fruit, insects, rodents, birds, eggs and carrion. Diet varies by species and habitat. Frugivory is important for seed dispersal in rainforest.

Are civets dangerous?
Civets are not usually dangerous to humans. The African civet weighs 7–20 kg and is mainly nocturnal and solitary, foraging for fruit, insects and small vertebrates. Like most wild carnivorans, it may bite if cornered, but it typically avoids people. Asian civet species face greater pressure from habitat loss and civet musk farming.

How big is a civet?
The African civet — the largest civet species — weighs up to about 20 kg, with a distinctive black-and-white masked face, spotted coat and erect dorsal crest. Roughly 35 civet species occur across Africa and Asia, with smaller Asian species generally lighter than the African civet.

How long do civets live?
A precise wild lifespan for civets is not firmly established in the sources cited on this guide. Civets are nocturnal viverrids of Africa and Asia; the African civet (Civettictis civetta) is Least Concern and widespread across sub-Saharan Africa, though Asian species face habitat loss and civet musk farming raises welfare concerns. Where longevity figures appear in the literature they vary by region, sex and whether animals are wild or captive.

Sources & References

Population figures, conservation status and biological facts on this page are drawn from authoritative scientific and intergovernmental sources.

Related Rescue Guides

Focused answers for people searching how civet rescue works in high-need regions.

Indonesia · Wildlife trade

Kopi Luwak: The Cruelty Behind Civet Coffee

Kopi luwak — civet coffee — is made from coffee cherries eaten and excreted by the Asian palm civet. Traditional production collected droppings from wild civets and raised no welfare concerns, but a 2016 study of 16 Bali plantations found wild-caught civets caged in conditions that failed basic welfare requirements. Most commercial kopi luwak today comes from caged animals, and no reliable certification separates the two.

Terms used on this page

Plain-English definitions, from our wildlife and conservation glossary.

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