| Otter civet | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Viverridae |
| Genus: | Cynogale Gray, 1836[2] |
| Species: | C. bennettii |
| Binomial name | |
| Cynogale bennettii Gray, 1836[2] | |
 | |
| Otter civet range | |
Theotter civet (Cynogale bennettii) is asemiaquaticviverrid native toThailand,Malaysia,Indonesia andBrunei. It is believed to be undergoing severe population decline due tohabitat destruction and is classified as anendangered species by theIUCN Red List.[1]
Cynogale is amonospecificgenus.[3]
The otter civet possesseswebbed feet, which is an adaptation to its aquatic habitat.[citation needed] Its long, stiffwhiskers may be used for foraging.[4]
Otter civets are distributed inSumatra,Borneo and peninsular Thailand. Lowlandprimary forest is apparently the ideal habitat for the species, although it is also known to occur insecondary forest. Their presence in northernVietnam is uncertain.[5]They are believed to preferpeat swamp forests, but been sighted at low elevations intropical dry forests.[4]
In March 2005, an otter civet was photographed by acamera trap within anacacia plantation in centralSarawak during 1,632 trap-nights.[6] Between July 2008 and January 2009, ten otter civets were photographed in an area of about 112 km2 (43 sq mi) inSabah's Deramakot Forest Reserve, a lowlandtropical rainforest in Borneo ranging in altitude from 60–250 m (200–820 ft).[7] In May 2009, the presence of otter civets was documented for the first time in centralKalimantan, where two individuals were photographed in the Sabangau Peat-swamp Forest at an elevation of about 11 m (36 ft).[8]
The otter civet is anocturnal species that obtains most of its food from the water, feeding on fish, crabs and freshwater mollusks. It can also climb to feed on birds and fruit. Given its rarity and secretive nature it is a very poorly known species.[1]
The otter civet is threatened by habitat destruction – specifically, the destruction of peat swamp forests to make way foroil palm plantations. It is sometimes caught insnares intended to catch other species.[1][5]
Cynogale bennettii is listed inCITES Appendix II.[1]
