About Paradoxurus hermaphroditus (Pallas, 1777)
This species, known commonly as the Asian palm civet, has the scientific name Paradoxurus hermaphroditus (Pallas, 1777).
Characteristics: The Asian palm civet has a long, stocky body covered in coarse, shaggy hair that is typically greyish in colour. It has a white mask across its forehead, a small white patch under each eye, a white spot on each side of the nostrils, and a narrow dark line between the eyes. Its muzzle, ears, lower legs, and the distal half of the tail are black, and three rows of black markings run across its body. Its head-to-body length is approximately 53 cm (21 in), with an unringed tail that reaches 48 cm (19 in) long. It weighs between 2 and 5 kg (4.4 to 11.0 lb). When threatened or upset, its anal scent glands release a nauseating secretion that it uses for chemical defense.
Distribution and habitat: The Asian palm civet has a wide distribution across South and Southeast Asia, with a range that extends from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka to Myanmar, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, the Philippines, Borneo, and the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Java, Bawean, and Siberut. It most commonly inhabits primary forests, but it also occurs at lower population densities in secondary forests and selectively logged forests. It has been introduced to Irian Jaya, the Lesser Sunda Islands, Maluku, and Sulawesi, and its presence in Papua New Guinea is not confirmed.
Behaviour and ecology: The Asian palm civet is believed to be solitary, only coming together briefly during the mating season. It is both terrestrial and arboreal, and has a nocturnal activity pattern, with activity peaks between late evening and after midnight. It is generally active from dawn until 4:00 in the morning, but is less active on nights with a bright full moon. Scent marking behaviour and olfactory responses to different excretions including urine, feces, and perineal gland secretion differ between males and females. Scent marking by dragging the perineal gland to leave its secretion on a surface is the most common scent marking behaviour observed in individuals of both sexes. The duration of olfactory responses varies based on both the individual's sex and the type of excretion being smelled. The Asian palm civet can distinguish between different animal species, different sexes, and familiar versus unfamiliar individuals by the odor of perineal gland secretion.
Reproduction: Because of the species' solitary and nocturnal habits, little information is available about its reproductive processes and behaviour. The only documented mating observation occurred in March 2010, when a pair of Asian palm civets was seen attempting to mate. The pair copulated on a tree branch for roughly five minutes. During this period, the male mounted the female 4 to 5 times. After each mounting, the pair separated for a few moments before repeating the mounting process. After mating was complete, the pair played together for some time, moving between different tree branches. The two individuals separated after about six minutes, moving to separate branches to rest.
