Articles
Common Palm Civet
Topic
Environment
Subtopic
Biodiversity and nature
1 March 2023
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Ever caught a whiff of pandan despite not having any pandan plants in the area?
You might just be in close proximity to a Common Palm Civet, one of the four species of civets that we can find in Singapore. The pandan scent, in fact, stems from the secretions of its anal scent glands! 😮
The tiny mammal typically measures 8 to 14cm from head to toe. Its olive brown body is irregularly dotted with black spots and it sports a white patch on its forehead which contrasts with the black fur on its head, giving an observer the distinct impression of a raccoon. A nocturnal creature, the Common Palm Civet is most active from dusk to dawn when they hunt for both small prey such as insects and lizards, and also eat fruit that they find.
Due to its adaptability, it is one of the last surviving species of small mammals in Singapore and can be found in both urban and forested areas. Unfortunately, venturing out from the safety of the forest into urbanised areas sometimes mean that these civets come into conflict with humans; some have also, sadly, been victims of roadkill.
As we go about our lives, let’s look out for and protect the living creatures that share our Singapore with us, so that we can continue to have a wealth of wildlife variety in our tiny island!
#WildlifeWednesday #WildlifeWednesdaySG #nocturnal #mammal #commonpalmcivet #Singpaore #nature #conservation