Mammals
Owston's Civet
Chrotogale owstoni · also called Owston's palm civet
Digging earthworms from soft forest soil with unusually long claws, Owston’s civet carries a bold striped coat unlike most of its spotted relatives, a distinctive Southeast Asian species now under mounting pressure from widespread snaring.
Overview
Owston’s civet, Chrotogale owstoni, is a distinctively striped carnivore native to forest habitat concentrated in Vietnam, Laos, and parts of southern China. Its unusual earthworm-heavy diet, specialised digging claws, and severe decline from wire-snare trapping make it one of the more urgently threatened civet species found anywhere in Southeast Asia.
A civet with an earthworm habit
While most civets take a broad, opportunistic diet, Owston’s civet has leaned unusually far toward earthworms, developing specialised digging claws that hint at a dietary path not unlike the far more extreme specialisation seen in Madagascar’s falanouc.
Status
Vulnerable, with populations declining significantly due to widespread wire-snare trapping and habitat loss across its range.
Owston's Civet: common questions
Why does Owston's civet have such long claws?
This species has unusually long claws on its front feet, an adaptation that helps it dig earthworms directly out of soft forest soil, reflecting the unusually large role earthworms play in its diet.
How can you identify Owston's civet?
This species has a coat marked with bold dark stripes and bands rather than the spots typical of many other civet species, a pattern distinctive enough to set it apart from other civets at a glance.
Why is Owston's civet declining?
This species has been severely affected by widespread wire-snare trapping across its range in Vietnam, Laos, and southern China, a major driver behind its population decline, along with ongoing habitat loss.
Does Owston's civet eat mainly earthworms like the falanouc?
Not entirely, but this species relies on earthworms for an unusually large share of its diet compared to most other civets, a partial dietary specialisation reminiscent of, though less extreme than, Madagascar's earthworm-eating falanouc.