African Civet

In 21 years of safari trips, I've never been able to get a decent picture of a Civet. They are nocturnal and quite shy, but this one was a gem - stood well for a picture.

The African civet is a mammal that is closely related to weasels and mongooses. This animal is widely distributed in Sub-Saharan Africa inhabiting all areas that provide enough water, food and shelter.

The African civet is threatened by habitat loss and deforestation. People hunt African civet because of its musk that is popular ingredient of many perfumes. Despite these factors, population of African civets in the wild is large and stable.