Common palm Civet
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About Palm Civets
Taxonomy
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Family: Viverridae
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Order: Carnivora (suborder Feliformia)
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IUCN Status: Least Concern (2008 assessment)
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CITES: Appendix III
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Habitat: Forests, but also adapt to urban areas.
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Diet: Omnivorous – fruits, berries, small animals, insects.
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Known for producing kopi luwak coffee (through digestion of coffee cherries).
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Listed under Schedule II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 → protected species.
Behaviour & Ecology
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Lifestyle: Solitary, nocturnal, arboreal + terrestrial.
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Activity pattern: Peak between late evening and early morning; less active during bright moonlight.
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Scent-marking: Uses perineal gland secretions; can distinguish sex/species/individuals by scent.
Kopi Luwak, known for being made from coffee beans ingested and excreted by the Asian palm civet, is primarily produced in the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali, and Sulawesi. It's also produced in other Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines and Vietnam, as well as in East Timor and Ethiopia.
