Tangalung

The Malayan civet, also known as the Malay civet or Oriental civet, is a captivating animal native to the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, the Riau Archipelago, and the Philippines. Due to its extensive range and resilience in diverse environments, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified it as "Least Concern." The species was first described by John Edward Gray in 1832, who assigned it the scientific name Viverra tangalunga.

The Malayan civet can be found across several regions, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, and Singapore. Highly adaptable, they inhabit forests, farmland, and even areas near villages, and they can be found at elevations of up to 1100 meters. These civets are solitary animals, primarily terrestrial, and have a varied diet consisting of invertebrates, small vertebrates, and fruit. Notably, their populations are denser in untouched forests compared to those that have been logged.

Nevertheless, the Malayan civet faces several threats. Ground-level trapping and hunting pose significant dangers, as does competition with other frugivores. Timber harvesting in Borneo also adversely affects their numbers. Although they are protected under Malaysia's Wildlife Protection Act, they are often deemed pests in rural areas due to their predation on small livestock and destruction of fruit orchards. In these circumstances, farmers are permitted to shoot them if they cause property damage.

Despite these challenges, ongoing conservation efforts aim to protect the Malayan civet. While they confront localized threats and human-wildlife conflicts, their overall population remains stable, largely due to their adaptability and existing protections.