Otter Civet
Encyclopedia
The Otter Civet, Cynogale bennettii, is a semi-aquatic civet
found in forests, primarily lowland, near rivers and swampy areas of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra
, and Borneo
. An additional population, only known from single specimen
, occurs in northern Vietnam
(with likely – but unconfirmed – records from adjacent parts of Thailand
and Yunnan
, China
). The latter population has sometimes been considered a separate species, the Lowe's Otter Civet (C. lowei), in which case the common name
of C. bennettii has been modified to the Sunda Otter Civet (a reference to its then entirely Sundaic
distribution).
The Otter Civet possesses several adaptions to its habitat
, including a broad mouth and webbed feet with naked soles and long claws. Its muzzle is long with numerous long whisker
s.
The Otter Civet is a nocturnal species that obtains most of its food from the water, feeding on fish, crabs, freshwater mollusks, as well as being able to climb to feed on birds and fruit. Given its rarity and secretive nature it is a very poorly known species. It is listed as endangered by the IUCN. It is in many ways similar to another rare and elusive civet
, the Hose's Civet
Diplogale hosei an endemic
to the highlands of northern Borneo
; the Otter Civet, however, has a shorter tail and does not have the whitish underparts as the Hose's Civet.
A research collaboration between the Sabah Forestry Department and the German wildlife research institute, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, announced on 9th February, 2011, that they had photographed a specimen in the Deramakot Forest Reserve using remote camera traps.
Civet
The family Viverridae is made up of around 30 species of medium-sized mammal, including all of the genets, the binturong, most of the civets, and the two African linsangs....
found in forests, primarily lowland, near rivers and swampy areas of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, and Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
. An additional population, only known from single specimen
Specimen
A specimen is a portion/quantity of material for use in testing, examination, or study.BiologyA laboratory specimen is an individual animal, part of an animal, a plant, part of a plant, or a microorganism, used as a representative to study the properties of the whole population of that species or...
, occurs in northern Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
(with likely – but unconfirmed – records from adjacent parts of Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
). The latter population has sometimes been considered a separate species, the Lowe's Otter Civet (C. lowei), in which case the common name
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
of C. bennettii has been modified to the Sunda Otter Civet (a reference to its then entirely Sundaic
Sundaland
Sundaland is a biogeographical region of Southeastern Asia which encompasses the areas of the Asian continental shelf that was exposed during the last ice age. It included the Malay Peninsula on the Asian mainland, as well as the large islands of Borneo, Java, and Sumatra and their surrounding...
distribution).
The Otter Civet possesses several adaptions to its habitat
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
, including a broad mouth and webbed feet with naked soles and long claws. Its muzzle is long with numerous long whisker
Vibrissae
Vibrissae , or whiskers, are specialized hairs usually employed for tactile sensation. The term may also refer to the thick hairs found inside human nostrils, but these have no sensorial function and only operate as an airborne particulate barrier...
s.
The Otter Civet is a nocturnal species that obtains most of its food from the water, feeding on fish, crabs, freshwater mollusks, as well as being able to climb to feed on birds and fruit. Given its rarity and secretive nature it is a very poorly known species. It is listed as endangered by the IUCN. It is in many ways similar to another rare and elusive civet
Civet
The family Viverridae is made up of around 30 species of medium-sized mammal, including all of the genets, the binturong, most of the civets, and the two African linsangs....
, the Hose's Civet
Hose's Palm Civet
The Hose's palm civet , also known as the Hose's civet , is a civet found in Borneo. It is named after zoologist Charles Hose and is a member of the family Viverridae...
Diplogale hosei an endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to the highlands of northern Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
; the Otter Civet, however, has a shorter tail and does not have the whitish underparts as the Hose's Civet.
A research collaboration between the Sabah Forestry Department and the German wildlife research institute, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, announced on 9th February, 2011, that they had photographed a specimen in the Deramakot Forest Reserve using remote camera traps.