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#vulnerablespecies — Public Fediverse posts

Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #vulnerablespecies, aggregated by home.social.

  1. Olinguito Bassaricyon neblina

    Olinguito Bassaricyon neblina

    IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

    Location: Colombia, Ecuador

    Found in the Andean cloud forests of western Colombia and Ecuador, at elevations between 1,500 and 2,800 metres.

    One of the cutest #mammals recently discovered is already at risk. With their bear-like faces, cat-like bodies, and lush tawny fur, the olinguito Bassaricyon neblina is an adorable button-nosed mammal of #Ecuador and #Colombia. They first made themselves known to the western world in 2006 in Ecuador and were officially described in 2013 and are considered ‘Near Threatened’ mainly from deforestation and forest clearing for #palmoil agriculture along with road building, infrastructure and gold mining throughout their range. Native to the misty cloud forests of the northern Andes, they are increasingly threatened by industrial agribusiness, palm oil plantations, and agriculture. Over 40% of their habitat has already been destroyed. Use your wallet as a weapon: always choose #palmoilfree products and be #vegan to help protect olinguitos and other species of the Andean Cloud Forest#BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

    https://youtu.be/6_ir48JWkRI

    #Olinguitos are button-nosed #mammals 😻🦦 of the Cloud Forests in #Ecuador 🇪🇨 and #Colombia 🇨🇴 Their lives are threatened by #goldmining 🥇 #meat 🥩and #palmoil 🌴 #deforestation. Help them! Be #vegan #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-bBX

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    Discovered not long ago, #Olinguitos are #bear-like tenacious survivors. Despite hiding well, their forests are rapidly disappearing for #palmoil and #meat agriculture. Help them survive! Be #vegan #Boycottpalmoil 🌴⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-bBX

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    Appearance & Behaviour

    The olinguito is reminiscent of teddy bear and a domestic cat, with thick, soft, russet and tawny coloured fur, a short snout with a button-like nose, small ears, and a long fluffy tail used for balance in the treetops. Typically weighing under one kilogram, they are the smallest member of the raccoon family (Procyonidae). Nocturnal and arboreal, they live high in the forest canopy and are rarely seen. Solitary by nature, they are also reclusive and actively avoid human interaction.

    Threats

    Despite being classified as Near Threatened, there are no known large-scale conservation programmes or protected areas specifically designed to safeguard the olinguito or their habitat. Many of the forests where they live are under private ownership or are unprotected, leaving them at the mercy of logging companies, agribusiness, and illegal land grabs. Without legal safeguards and ecological corridors between forest remnants, olinguito populations will continue to decline unnoticed. Over 42% of their potential range has already been cleared or degraded for mining and agriculture.

    Widespread deforestation of Andean cloud forests for agriculture, livestock, and infrastructure

    Much of the olinguito’s Andean cloud forest habitat has already been cleared for cattle pasture, coffee plantations, and crop fields. This is especially concerning given the species’ limited elevational range and dependence on specific microclimates. Habitat loss fragments populations and prevents them from moving between forest patches, leading to genetic isolation and increased vulnerability. According to Helgen et al. (2013), 42% of the olinguito’s historical range has already been lost to agriculture and urban development.

    Palm oil and timber plantations rapidly consuming native forest habitat.

    Large swathes of cloud forest are being destroyed to establish oil palm and timber plantations. These monocultures are ecological deserts that offer no food or shelter for frugivorous mammals like the olinguito. Although oil palm expansion is often focused in lowland regions, it is encroaching into higher elevations in parts of Colombia and Ecuador due to market demand and land speculation. This spells danger for highland endemics like the olinguito, whose misty habitat is already shrinking.

    Urbanisation and road development, fragmenting their canopy habitat

    As human populations expand into previously remote areas, forest is cleared for roads, settlements, and industrial development. Even if some patches of cloud forest remain, roads cut through ecosystems, isolating wildlife and increasing mortality from vehicle collisions. Urban sprawl also brings dogs and other invasive species that can harass, predate, or outcompete native animals. The olinguito’s canopy-dependent, arboreal lifestyle makes it especially susceptible to the effects of fragmentation and edge habitat.

    Climate change, which threatens the stability of montane ecosystems.

    Cloud forests are highly sensitive to temperature and moisture changes. As global temperatures rise, the delicate balance of mist, rainfall, and cool air that defines this biome is shifting. Suitable habitat may move upslope, but mountaintops provide a limited refuge. Once a species is pushed beyond its climatic limit, local extinction becomes inevitable. The olinguito already lives at the uppermost altitudes suitable for its survival, making it dangerously vulnerable to climate-induced habitat contraction.

    Geographic Range

    Olinguitos live in humid montane forests between 1,500 and 2,800 metres in elevation in western Colombia and Ecuador, including forests near Medellín in Colombia and the Otonga Forest Reserve in Cotopaxi, Ecuador. This species occupies the highest known range of any member of the genus Bassaricyon. Though only officially recognised in 2013, museum specimens had been mislabelled for decades prior to that.

    Diet

    Despite belonging to the carnivoran order, olinguitos are primarily frugivores. They feed on cloud forest fruits such as figs, as well as insects, nectar, and occasionally small vertebrates like birds and lizards. Their faeces are said to resemble small blueberries due to their fruit-heavy diet.

    Mating and Reproduction

    Very little is known about the reproductive behaviour of the olinguito, but it is believed they produce a single offspring at a time. Females have one pair of mammae. Their solitary lifestyle and canopy-based habits make studying them in the wild extremely difficult.

    FAQs

    How many olinguitos are left in the wild?

    No population estimates exist for the olinguito, but scientists agree numbers are declining. Habitat modelling shows over 60% of their potential habitat is already deforested or degraded, suggesting a significant threat to survival (Helgen et al., 2013).

    What is the lifespan of an olinguito?

    Captive individuals like Ringerl—an olinguito unknowingly housed in US zoos for years—lived over a decade. Wild lifespan is presumed to be shorter, but specific data are lacking.

    What are the main threats to the olinguito?

    The biggest threats are deforestation and habitat loss driven by palm oil plantations, agriculture, and urbanisation. These activities have destroyed over 40% of their cloud forest habitat (Helgen et al., 2013). Climate change is also a growing concern due to their dependence on cool, moist mountain forests.

    Do olinguitos make good pets?

    No. Olinguitos are solitary, nocturnal, and specialised to live in misty canopy forests. Keeping them as pets is cruel and contributes to wildlife trafficking. Their capture disrupts family groups and decimates populations. If you care about olinguitos, do not fuel demand—speak out against the pet trade.

    Take Action!

    Olinguitos are an emblem of the hidden biodiversity in the world’s cloud forests—ecosystems that are vanishing fast.

    • Boycott palm oil and demand truly forest-free alternatives.
    • Support indigenous-led agroecology and forest protection efforts in the Andes.
    • Refuse meat and dairy that drives deforestation in Colombia and Ecuador.
    • Never support zoos or exotic pet collectors that remove wildlife from their habitats. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat

    Support the Olinguito by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife

    Support the conservation of this species

    This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.

    Further Information

    Helgen, K. M., Pinto, C. M., Kays, R., Helgen, L. E., Tsuchiya, M. T. N., Quinn, A., Wilson, D. E., & Maldonado, J. E. (2013). Taxonomic revision of the olingos (Bassaricyon), with description of a new species, the olinguito. ZooKeys, 324, 1–83. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.324.5827

    Helgen, K., Kays, R., Pinto, C., Schipper, J. & González-Maya, J.F. 2020. Bassaricyon neblina (amended version of 2016 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T48637280A166523067. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T48637280A166523067.en. Accessed on 02 May 2025.

    Lee, T. E., Tinoco, N., Allred, F. G., Hennecke, A., Camacho, M. A., & Burneo, S. F. (2022). Small mammals of Otonga Forest Reserve, Cotopaxi Province, Ecuador. The Southwestern Naturalist, 66(1), 48–53. https://doi.org/10.1894/0038-4909-66.1.48

    NBC News. (2013, August 16). ‘Cutest new animal’ discovered: It’s an olinguito! https://www.nbcnews.com/sciencemain/cutest-new-animal-discovered-its-olinguito-6C10925572

    Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Olinguito. Wikipedia. Retrieved 2 May 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olinguito

    How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?

    Take Action in Five Ways

    1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

    Enter your email address

    Sign Up

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    2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

    Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

    Read more

    Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

    Read more

    Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

    Read more

    Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

    Read more

    The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

    Read more

    How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

    Read more

    3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

    https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20

    https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20

    https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20

    4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

    5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

    Pledge your support

    Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

    Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNG

    Santa Catarina’s Guinea Pig Cavia intermedia

    Keep reading

    Keel-billed Toucan Ramphastos sulfuratus

    Keep reading

    Asian Small-clawed Otter Aonyx cinereus

    Keep reading

    Marsupials thought extinct for 6,000 years found in West Papua

    Keep reading

    Gursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae

    Keep reading

    Sunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus

    Keep reading

    Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

    Read more about RSPO greenwashing

    Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazards

    A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

    Read more

    #animals #Bear #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #carnivores #coffee #Colombia #deforestation #Ecuador #ForgottenAnimals #goldMining #goldmining #hunting #infrastructure #Mammal #mammals #meat #meatAgriculture #meatDeforestation #NearThreatenedSpecies #NearThreatened #nocturnal #OlinguitoBassaricyonNeblina #Olinguitos #omnivore #omnivores #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #palmoilfree #poaching #roads #SeedDispersers #seeddispersal #vegan #VulnerableSpecies
  2. White-Nosed Saki Chiropotes albinasus

    White-Nosed Saki Chiropotes albinasus

    Red List status: Vulnerable

    Locations: Brazil

    Curious, social and beautiful White-Nosed Sakis are striking and unusual looking #primates. This vulnerable primate is instantly recognisable by their long, silky black fur, reddish-pink noses, and distinctive hair tufts crowning their heads. The white-Nosed Saki’s range spans the shaded forests south-west of the Dos Marmelos river, where they are vulnerable from human-related threats including #palmoil, #soy and #meat #deforestation, #goldmining and human persecution. They deserve us to fight for their survival. Help them every time you shop and be #Vegan #BoycottPalmOil and #Boycott4Wildlife

    Curious, social and beautiful White-Nosed Sakis 🐒🐵🙈 are vulnerable #monkeys in #Brazil 🇧🇷 from #soy #meat #palmoil 🌴🩸 #deforestation and #mining 🚜🔥 Protect them every time you shop, be #vegan #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2023/02/19/white-nosed-saki-chiropotes-albinasus/

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    White-Nosed Sakis have striking tufts of hair on their noses and long silky tails 🙉🩷🤎 They are vulnerable in #Amazonia #Brazil from #soy #meat #palmoil #deforestation. Use your wallet and protect them! Be #vegan 🍉🍎 #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife https://palmoildetectives.com/2023/02/19/white-nosed-saki-chiropotes-albinasus/

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    https://youtu.be/oHX4z66YN6E

    White Nosed Sakis have a range throughout the south-east and south-central regions of the Amazon Rainforest which extends into the country of Brazil. Their range overlaps with the Uta Hicks bearded saki throughout the southern Amazon which means that they compete for food with this other species, leading to a lack of food availability. They have also been recorded in the area south-west of the Dos Marmelos river in Brazil.

    Appearance & Behaviour

    Distinctive White Nosed-Sakis have tufts of long hair on their heads and beards, along with a long silky tail. Despite their namesake, they don’t have a white nose. All over they have black silky fur and a reddish pink nose. Females and males look similar, although females have a shorter and thinner tufts and beards.

    Young White-Nosed Sakis use their tails to swing through to the jungle canopy. As adults, these tails become non-prehensile and are only used for balance. Their teeth are canine in appearance and are able to bite through the tough shells of fruits and seeds.

    Males weigh around 2.5 to 3kg and females weighing slightly less than this, averaging about 2.5kg. They range between 35-45 cm in body length. Their sleek bodies and long tails for balance and support make them agile and fast moving climbers and leapers in the Amazonian jungle.

    White-Nosed Sakis are most active and socialise throughout the day. Groups of around 20-30 individuals congregate together for sleeping and food gathering but then separate for other activities.

    They generally communicate using sound and have higher pitched alarm calls during times of getting each others attention to warn of danger. Lower pitched sounds are reserved for more relaxed periods of eating and socialising. They have been recorded to wag their tails as ways of communication. Other methods of communication remain under-investigated.

    Threats

    The main threats identified for the White Nosed Saki are deforestation, forest fragmentation through logging, cattle ranching, agriculture, rural settlements, subsistence hunting, improvement of road infrastructure and the construction of hydroelectric dams.

    IUCN RED LIST

    Threats include:

    It is estimated that up to 30% of their range is threatened from agriculture.

    Habitat

    The White-Nosed Saki competes with other Chiropotes #monkeys over dwindling food sources. These elusive primates prefer to live in forests with little or no human disturbance and are able to organise in groups to forage for food. They are relatively flexible in terms of habitat preference, which will depend upon food availability. They prefer to live in the shaded comfort of upper forest canopies which provide shade, nutrients and protection from predators. This is where they are most observed spending their daily lives.

    Diet

    These monkeys are not fussy and have been known to consume 100’s of different plants in Brazilian Amazonia. In general, they are foraging frugivores and their diet consists of seeds, fruit, bark, insects, leaves and flowers. The majority of their diet consists of seeds and fruit, with insects being eaten around 10% of the time. Fruit is preferred in its unripened and immature state as a major source of protein and fibre.

    Mating and breeding

    The mating and reproduction of the White Nosed Saki is an under-researched area. Observations show them to be seasonal breeders who give birth during spring and autumn. The gestation period has been studied and occurs over a period of five months. Studies indicate that only one infant is born each year to a mother, this is followed by a period of close maternal care and observation. More research is needed to reveal more detail.

    Support White Nosed Sakis by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife

    Support the conservation of this species

    This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.

    Further Information

    Pinto, L.P., Buss, G., Veiga, L.M., de Melo, F.R., Mittermeier, R.A., Boubli, J.P. & Wallace, R.B. 2021. Chiropotes albinasus (amended version of 2020 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T4685A191702783. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T4685A191702783.en. Accessed on 31 October 2022.

    White Nosed Saki, Animalia.bio

    Spectacled bear sticking out his tongue by Natalia So for Getty Images

    How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?

    Take Action in Five Ways

    1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

    Enter your email address

    Sign Up

    Join 1,391 other subscribers

    2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

    Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

    Read more

    Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

    Read more

    Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

    Read more

    Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

    Read more

    The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

    Read more

    How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

    Read more

    3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

    https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20

    https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20

    https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20

    4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

    5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

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    #Amazonia #animals #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #Brazil #dams #deforestation #ForgottenAnimals #goldMining #goldmining #hunting #infrastructure #Mammal #meat #mining #monkey #monkeys #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #poaching #primates #roads #SeedDispersers #seeddispersal #SouthAmericaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #soy #vegan #VulnerableSpecies #WhiteNosedSakiChiropotesAlbinasus

  3. African Palm Civet Nandinia binotata

    African Palm Civet Nandinia binotata

    Red list status: Least concern (in 2016) but likely becoming endangered now.

    Locations: Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Zambia, Uganda, South Sudan, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe.

    African Palm Civets Nandinia binotata are ecosystem-critical seed dispersers in Africa’s forests. Their spotted coats blend into the dappled forest shadows of #Liberia and #Gabon in #Africa. Although they were once widespread, the African palm civet now faces mounting pressure from palm oil-driven deforestation, mining, and relentless hunting for #bushmeat. Their survival hangs in the balance —fight for their survival every time you shop, be #Vegan for them and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFpLVDC6IM0

    Vital seed dispersers in #African forests, African palm civets are hunted for #bushmeat in #Gabon 🇬🇦 #Liberia 🇱🇷 Say NO to #palmoil #deforestation and hunting. Fight for them! Be #Vegan 🫑🍆 #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🩸🚜☠️🔥❌ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/11/13/african-palm-civet-nandinia-binotata/

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    Appearance & Behaviour

    The African palm civet is a small, cat-like omnivore, their slender body and long, ringed tail perfectly adapted for life in the treetops. Their fur ranges from grey to dark brown, with distinctive dark spots decorating their back. Males are slightly larger than females, typically weighing between 1 and 3 kilograms and measuring 30 to 70 centimetres in length. Two scent glands beneath their abdomen allow them to mark territory and communicate with potential mates. African palm civets are nocturnal, spending most of their lives high in the canopy, where they forage, rest, and raise their young. They are nocturnal and spend the majority of their lives in the tree canopies of rainforests eating from fruit-bearing trees like banana, papaya, fig and corkwood.

    Threats

    The main threats to African palm civets are anthropogenic and include:

    Large tracts of rainforest where African palm civets live are threatened by commercial logging and large-scale oil palm plantations owned by foreign multinational companies.  

    Hunting for bushmeat trade

    Around 8,000 palm civets are hunted in the Nigerian and Cameroon part of the Cross-Sanaga-Bioko coastal forests. Throughout Africa these small animals are treated as hostile by locals and are killed for this reason. They are regularly found in bushmeat markets.

    Palm oil deforestation: a major threat

    The upper Guinean rainforests in Liberia are a biodiversity rich hotspot and they are rapidly being fragmented and destroyed by palm oil and timber deforestation, along with mining.

    Habitat

    The African palm civet’s range spans much of sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal and Gambia in the west, through Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Angola, Zambia, Uganda, South Sudan, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. They inhabit deciduous forests, lowland rainforests, gallery forests, riverine peatlands, and swamplands. Once widespread, their habitat is now fragmented by deforestation, agriculture, and mining, leaving only scattered pockets of forest where the African palm civet can still be found.

    Diet

    African palm civets are omnivorous, their diet shifting with the rhythm of the seasons. Fruits such as persimmon, African corkwood, Uapaca, fig, papaya, and banana form the core of their diet. When fruit is scarce, they hunt rodents, lizards, birds, frogs, insects, and even raid farms for small livestock. Their foraging is a quiet, methodical search through the canopy, and they are vital seed dispersers, helping to regenerate the forests they call home.

    Mating and breeding

    African palm civets are mostly solitary, coming together only to mate. Males range over territories that overlap with those of several females. Breeding occurs year-round, with peaks during the rainy seasons, especially from September to January. After a gestation of about 64 days, females give birth in tree hollows to litters of up to four cubs. The young are weaned after about two months, remaining with their mothers as they learn to forage and navigate the treetops. Sexual maturity is reached at around three years, and the generation length is estimated at seven years. The bond between mother and cub is strong, forged in the safety of the canopy and tested by the dangers of the shrinking forest.

    FAQs

    Where do African palm civets sleep?

    African palm civets are highly arboreal and seek shelter high in the treetops, where they find safety from predators and the elements. They commonly rest or sleep during the day in the forks of large trees, among lianas, or in tangled vines, blending into the foliage with their spotted coats. Occasionally, as forests shrink and human settlements expand, African palm civets adapt by sleeping in less typical places such as gutters, thick undergrowth at farm and village margins, woodpiles, old dead trees, piles of dead leaves, and even in thatched roofs or overgrown shrubbery in rubbish dumps. Their choice of sleeping site is always guided by the need for concealment and protection, reflecting their nocturnal and secretive nature.

    Can African palm civets climb trees?

    African palm civets are exceptional climbers, spending most of their lives in the forest canopy. Their bodies are built for agility among the branches: they have powerful limbs, long tails for balance, and sharp, retractile claws that allow them to grip bark and vines securely. African palm civets move swiftly and silently through the treetops, foraging, resting, and raising their young high above the ground, rarely descending except to cross open areas in search of food or new shelter. Their arboreal lifestyle is so pronounced that they are sometimes described as “tree cats,” and their climbing abilities are vital for evading predators and accessing fruit-laden branches.

    Are palm civets carnivorous?

    African palm civets are omnivores, with a diet that is more varied than simply carnivorous. While they do eat small mammals, birds, eggs, insects, and occasionally carrion or even raid farms for small livestock, fruit forms the largest part of their diet. They consume a wide range of fruits, including those from umbrella trees, sugar plums, corkwood, wild figs, and even the fleshy pulp from oil palms. African palm civets are opportunistic feeders, adapting their diet to what is available seasonally and in their environment, but they are not strictly carnivorous and play a significant role as seed dispersers in their forest habitats.

    How big are African palm civets?

    African palm civets are small to medium-sized mammals, with males generally larger than females. Adult males typically measure between 39.8 and 62.5 centimetres in body length, with tails adding another 43 to 76.2 centimetres, and can weigh from 1.3 to 3 kilograms. Females are slightly smaller, with body lengths of 37 to 61 centimetres and tails of 34 to 70 centimetres, weighing between 1.2 and 2.7 kilograms. Their long, muscular tails and compact bodies make them agile climbers, and their size allows them to navigate the dense forest canopy with ease.

    Take Action!

    The #Boycott4Wildlife offers a way for consumers to fight back against palm oil deforestation and other forms of animal cruelty and slavery. Please help us and raise your voice for African Palm Civets, join the #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.

    You can support this beautiful animal

    There are no known formal conservation activities in place for this animal. Make sure that you #Boycottpalmoil and #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket and raise awareness of the plight of beautiful African palm civets in order to support their survival! Find out more here

    Further Information

    The IUCN has declared that this animal was of ‘Least Concern’ in 2016. However, their habitat is rapidly declining and they deserve more intensive protection and regular assessment.

    Gaubert, P., Bahaa-el-din, L., Ray, J. & Do Linh San, E. 2015. Nandinia binotataThe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T41589A45204645. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T41589A45204645.en. Accessed on 07 September 2022.

    Kotelnicki, S. (2012). Nandinia binotata. Animal Diversity Web. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Nandinia_binotata/

    Wikipedia. (n.d.). African palm civet. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Palm_Civet

    How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?

    Take Action in Five Ways

    1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

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    2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

    Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

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    Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

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    Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

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    Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

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    The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

    Read more

    How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

    Read more

    3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

    https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20

    https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20

    https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20

    4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

    5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

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