The Toddy Cat
The Toddy Cat
2. There are 6 distinct forms or genera (Palm civet), 5 found in the Orient and 1 in West Africa. One of this is Common Palm Civet.
3. Normally found in Ceylon, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Singapore, Myanmar, India and Pakistan, Burma and Southern China, south to Sumatra and Java, east to the Philippines, Borneo, Celebes and the Lesser Sunda Island.
4. In Malaysia, the common palm civets are wild-spread on the mainland, in Langkawi, Pulau Penang, and Pulau Tioman.
5. This animal is less catlike, weigh from 4 to 11 pounds. The palm civet’s head and body length is 17 to 28 inches (43.2 - 71cm). Its ears are small and faintly pointed, as is its nose. It has a long and slender body with short legs.
6. They have a coarse grayish to brown coat wit black-tipped guard hairs over all. Three rows of black spots run along each side of its body. The hair around its eyes and on each side of its nose. The ears, feet and last end of its tail are also black. But, sometimes the tail tipped with white.
7. Paradoxurus hermaphroditus live in tropical forests, plantations, fruit orchards and settled areas and often finds its way into the roof of human houses. This species also often colonize the eaves of houses or outbuildings.
8. Palm civets forge exclusively at night. They are also expert climbers and spend most of their lives in trees. Palm civets will choose the tallest and largest tree in the immediate area.
9. The Musang disperses the seeds of the trees on which it feeds by eating the seed pulp and passing the seeds well away from its parent tree. It is believed that their nocturnal habit was developed to avoid predators.
11. Palm civets are primarily frugivorous, feeding on berries and puply fruits, including those of Ficus trees and plams. They also eat small vertebrates, insects, ripe fruits and seeds.
12. Besides that, they very fond of palm sap, therefore their common name. The sap is used by natives to make sweet liquor called “toddy”, which gives the palm civet its common name-Toddy Cat.
13. The palm civet is also fond of coffee cherries. They eat the outer fruit and the coffee beans pass through their digestive tract.
14. As a conclusion, we can see that common palm civets are omnivore animals.
15. Toddy cat reproduce throughout the year although it has been recorded that kittens are mostly found from October to December.
16. They are usually born in a hollow tree, boulder crevices or a space among the rocks.
17. Their eyes are closed at birth. The sexual maturity is attained at 11-12 months.
19. This Musang disperse the seeds of the parent trees on which they feed.
20. An expensive coffee called kopi Luwak is made from the coffee beans which pass through their digestive tract. The kopi Luwak is said to have a gamy flavor and sells for more than $100 per pound.
21. This species also carried about from island to island by the people for the purpose of catching rats.
22. The civets produce secretion is sweet, musky and pleasant to human nose. Therefore, civets are hunt for their musk. This musk will be gather by scraping out from the civets’ anal sac.
23. This species are also prized for their meat.
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