African Civet: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Raccoons, Skunks and Badgers · day 5 of 7

Five facts

1. It is not a raccoon, but the black bands around its eyes look a lot like a raccoon's mask.
2. When it feels threatened, it raises the long hairs along its spine. The crest makes it look bigger and harder to attack.
3. It is one of the few carnivores that can eat toxic creepy-crawlies such as termites and millipedes.
4. It uses the same toilet spots again and again, called civetries. These piles are full of seeds, so they may help new plants grow.
5. Babies are born furry and can already crawl. They leave the nest at 18 days but still need their mother for two more months.

The quiz

1. Which animal's face does the African civet's eye mask resemble?

• A zebra
• A tiger
• A raccoon (correct)
• A panda

The black bands around its eyes look like a raccoon's.

2. What does an African civet do when it feels threatened?

• It raises the crest of hair on its back (correct)
• It sprays a foul liquid
• It climbs a tall tree
• It rolls into a ball

Raising its dorsal crest makes it look bigger.

3. Which toxic creatures can the African civet eat?

• Poison dart frogs
• Jellyfish
• Pufferfish
• Termites and millipedes (correct)

It is one of the few carnivores able to eat these toxic invertebrates.

4. What are an African civet's toilet piles called?

• Middens
• Civetries (correct)
• Setts
• Dreys

Its large dung piles are called civetries.

5. At what age do young African civets leave the nest?

• 2 days
• 18 days (correct)
• 1 year
• 6 months

They leave the nest after 18 days but still need their mother.

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