Malabar Large Spotted Civet

Weight:
The weight of the large spotted civet, Viverra megaspila, which is closely related to the Malabar large spotted civet and considered by some to be conspecific, is 8 - 9 kg (18 - 20 lb). 

Habitat:
The Malabar large spotted civet's original habitat was found in the evergreen rain forest belt in the Western Ghats of southwest India, where it lived in wooded plains and adjoining hill slopes. Natural forests have almost completely disappeared in the entire stretch of the coastal Western Ghats due to human activities. The present vegetation consists mostly of plantations. The cashew plantations are the least disturbed. They are not weeded and have a dense understory of shrubs and grasses. For a terrestrial species such as the Malabar large spotted civet, these thickets can provide important cover. However, it is likely that the cashew plantations are a ‘refuge' rather than a preferred habitat. Furthermore, most captures of this species in the last 30 years have been in valleys, around riparian areas. This suggests possible dependence on shallow waterways where the civet forages at night. (Ashraf et al. 1993)

The Malabar large spotted civet occurs in the Western Ghats Moist Forests Global 200 Ecoregion. (Olson & Dinerstein 1998, Olson & Dinerstein 1999) 

Birth Rate:
Females of the genus Viverra have 1 - 4 young per litter, usually 2 - 3. 

Diet:
The diet of the large spotted civet, Viverra megaspila, which is closely related to the Malabar large spotted civet and considered by some to be conspecific, includes small animals, eggs and some vegetable matter. 

Behavior:
The Malabar large spotted civet has never been observed in trees and possibly forages almost entirely on the ground. Evidence suggests that the young are raised in secluded thickets. Species of the genus Viverra stay in dense cover by day and come out into the open at night. (Ashraf et al. 1993; Nowak 1999) 

Social Organization:
Malabar large spotted civets are aggressive towards members of their own species and have usually been observed alone.