Information about Genets, Civets, Mongooses, Binturong and Their Kin -- Lithe "Weasel Cats"
Combine the long, slender body of the weasel -- a rough representation of the head of the fox -- the short limbs of the marten -- and the tail and disposition of the cat -- and there you have the "weasel cats," as one may call this group. In the warmer parts of the Old World they have taken the place occupied by the weasels in the north. They are also called Binturong.
Many of the weasel cats have scent glands, like the weasel family. Some of these creatures, like cats, possess sharp retractible claws, which they carry sheathed in their feet when there is no need to slash or climb. (Others have nail-like claws that cannot be moved in and out.) Again like their cousins the cats, the genets, civets, and mongooses walk softly and spring swiftly upon their prey.
The weasel cats control the many small animals that are prolific breeders the year round in tropical regions. While weasel cats are beasts of prey, they are nevertheless ready to compromise with hard times. When rodents and small game abound, these resourceful little carnivores live by killing. However, a dearth of animal life is no major catastrophe for them, as it would be for the cats or the weasels proper; the weasel cats supplement their fresh diet with insects, fruit and even vegetables.
The weasel cats are not considered high-class fur-bearers,
though the pelts of some species are used. Often the coats they wear are quite handsome. The fur of many is marked with spots and stripes, while a good number of these creatures are brightly colored. All make up a family called the Viverridae, a name which comes from the Latin word for "ferret."
Civet cats are small carnivores that prowl their territory at night. One of the members of this group is the Asian Bear Cat. This lop-eared creature resembles a large palm civet -- it is over two feet long, with a tail of almost the same length -- and wears a black, shaggy coat. But its most outstanding peculiarity is the lengthy, powerful tail. Like the monkeys of South America, the Asian Bear Cat can hang by its tail or possibly use it as a fifth hand, a great convenience for an animal that lives in the trees.
The Asian Bear Cat is at home in the forests of Assam in India and west to the Philippines, including Sumatra and Borneo. It appears to be the only noisy member of the civet group. Its loud howls will often shatter the quiet of the jungle night. It is nocturnal and feeds on fruit, plant matter, small rodents, birds and even fish.They can be aggressive when defending themselves.
The Asian Bear Cat or Binturong produces two young on average but can also have up to 6 after a 91 day gestation period. These mammals can begin having young after the age of 30 months. They have a lifespan of 15 to 25 years.
Another member of the Weasel Cat family is the Mongoose. This weasel-like animal with a lengthy, bushy tail, is famed as a killer of snakes.
Although no larger than a house cat, it will engage even a seven-foot foe. It does not generally seek combat with reptiles, but, when hungry, it needs no other incentive to attack them. In southern Asia and in Africa, where poisonous snakes abound, the mongoose is a common carnivore.
The mongoose is capable of killing any creature up to its own size. Besides reptiles, it feeds on birds, insects, rats and similar animals. More active at day than by night, it usually hunts in the early mornings and late evenings, though it may be about during the midday heat and at any hour of the night. They live in burrows.
Mongooses in a general way resemble civets and genets but their claws cannot be drawn in like a cat's. Possessing a comparatively lengthy and hairy tail, a pointed face, and low rounded ears, they do not, like the civets, have scent glands. The fur is usually a grizzled brown or black. The Mongoose plush toy pictured is a ring-tailed mongoose. This species is 15 inches long, not including the 12 inch tail. They weigh approximately 2 pounds and are found in Madagascar. They are both good climbers and swimmers.
The mongoose gestation period varies depending on the species, but on average it is 2 to 2.5 months. They give birth to between 2 to 6 young, the average is 4. The lifespan of the Mongoose is 20 years in captivity.
Asian Bear Cat
Order: Carnivora Family: Viverridae Subfamily: Paradoxurinae Genus: Arctictis Species: Arctictis binturong
Ring-tailed Mongoose
Order: Carnivora Family Eupleridae Subfamily Galidiinae Genus Galidia Species Galidia elegans
Scientific classification of the Mongoose was previously in the Family Viverridae, but has been reclassified in the Family Euplerinae. They are still weasel like mammals.
