Their Latin name Paradoxurus Hermaphroditus
comes from the scent glands under their tails which resemble testicles. Both
male and female civets have them. When threatened they spray foul smelling
scent at their would-be attackers in a manner similar to that of a skunk.
They mainly live in palm trees but have been known to take up residence in
the roof's of peoples homes where they can make quite a nuisance of themselves
- thumping around all night and stinking up the place with their smelly defense
mechanism.
They are considered in the lower risk category of the ......being classified
as of least concern however their habitat is diminishing. They are hunted
for their pelts as well as for use in traditional medicine. Their flesh is
seeped in linseed oil and the concoction is used as a treatment for scabies.
As with many similar traditional treatments, there is no scientific basis
for this treatment and it has not been proven to have any effect. Their flesh
is also marketed as 'bush meat' and consumed throughout South East Asia. It
has been suggested that eating ill-prepared civet meat resulted in the 2003
Sars epidemic.