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(Latin = Civettictis civetta, Afrikaans = Afrikaanse siwet, German = Zibetkatze)
Numbers: Low
Weight: 9 – 13kg (18‚31lb.)
Shoulder height: 40 cm (16 in.)
Pregnancy time: 57 – 63 days
Cub/Pup quantity: Up to 4
Found in the warmer northern area (Bushveld) of the North West and Northern Province, just as in the most of Mpumalanga, across East Swaziland and in the northern areas of KwaZulu-Natal.
The German name can be misleading, for it’s not really a cat. While it might be the nearest thing to a ‚cat-dog‚ hybrid, the civet is a carnivore, eating birds and small mammals, but also enjoys a somewhat broader menu of insects, amphibians, reptiles and fruit. It stems from the mongoose family. This is a night animal and seldom seen, a stealthy character which some regular tourists may never seen. Although its legs are long, it mostly has an arching back and low head when it moves it’s rather heavy body. When the civet is disturbed, it will give a distinct smell, and its glands near the anal channel also yields a musk-like ‚perfume. The civet is, in any case, a brave fighter.