Is the masked palm civet a protected animal, and is it illegal to eat it?

The masked palm civet is a rare wild animal commonly found in South China, mainly living in forests, thickets, rock caves, tree hollows or burrows, and the masked palm civet is an economic animal raised for both fur and meat, so many people wonderis the masked palm civet a protected animal? Is eating it illegal?

I. Introduction to the masked palm civet

1. Other names for the masked palm civet

The masked palm civet is also known as the gem-faced civet, the white-nosed civet and the fruit cat, a mammal of the order Carnivora, family Viverridae.

2. Characteristics of the masked palm civet

The masked palm civet has a slender body; adults measure 45-65 cm long and weigh 4.5-8 kg. The masked palm civet looks very much like a domestic cat, with a long narrow face, a protruding nose and muzzle, a short neck and thick face, large round eyes and relatively small ears. On the upper part of both sides of its back there are 20 elastic whiskers alternating black and white, and the hair on its head has 7 patches of different sizes alternating black and white, hence the name gem-faced civet.

The masked palm civet has short, thick limbs, with 5 toes on each foot and very sharp claws at the tips of the toes; the toes and palms are hairless, and the skin and flesh of the palm surface are thickened and elastic; its tail is thick and strong, 30—40 cm long, about 2/3 of its body length, and can serve as a balance when jumping and climbing; there is a scent gland near the anus, which releases an odor to scare off enemies when it encounters them.

3. Distribution of the masked palm civet

The masked palm civet mainly lives in tropical or subtropical mountain forests in Asia at an altitude of 200~2200 m, and is relatively numerous in South China on the Chinese mainland.

4. Living habits of the masked palm civet

The masked palm civet is an omnivorous animal that mainly eats plants and is especially fond of fruit. Unlike other carnivorous animals, animal food is secondary for the masked palm civet; rodents are the animal food the masked palm civet likes most, and it also eats snakes, birds, frogs, earthworms, small insects, twigs and leaves, and occasionally its own droppings.

Wild masked palm civets are good at climbing and are nocturnal animals, with the habit of resting by day and coming out at night, but this habit is not obvious in artificially bred masked palm civets. Because the masked palm civet has an omnivorous diet, tolerates coarse feed, is simple to raise and easy to tame, and is an economic animal raised for both fur and meat, artificial breeding yields high economic returns.

II. Is the masked palm civet a protected animal? Is eating it illegal?

1. The masked palm civet is a protected animal and belongs to the national second-class protected animals, and the masked palm civet is also listed in the “List of Terrestrial Wild Animals Protected by the State that Are Beneficial or Have Important Economic or Scientific Research Value” (referred to as the “three haves” protected animal list) and Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The masked palm civet mentioned here is the wild one; generally, artificially bred ones are not included.

2. The wild masked palm civet is a national protected animal, so it may not be hunted or eaten. According to Article 341 of the Criminal Law: whoever illegally hunts or kills precious or endangered wild animals under special state protection, or illegally purchases, transports or sells precious or endangered wild animals under special state protection and their products, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than five years or criminal detention, and shall also be fined; if the circumstances are serious, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than five years but not more than ten years, and shall also be fined; if the circumstances are especially serious, he shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than ten years, and shall also be fined or have his property confiscated.

3. We must abide by national laws and not casually hunt or kill protected wild animals, and even more must not eat them for selfish gain. In fact, because many “wild game” animals live in the outside world, their bodies may carry many bacteria or parasites, so it is best not to eat them. Of course, what is said here refers to wild masked palm civets; currently there are many artificially bred masked palm civets on the market that can be eaten.

III. How much is an artificially bred masked palm civet per jin?

Wild masked palm civets are protected animals and cannot be eaten. If you want to eat them, you can buy artificially bred masked palm civets. The market price of artificially bred masked palm civets varies depending on the place of origin, the place of sale and market conditions. At present it is 130 yuan-200 yuan per jin; a medium-sized masked palm civet weighs about 3 kg, worth about 900 yuan.

The above is the relevant introduction to the masked palm civet. Wild masked palm civets are very precious and belong to the national-level protected animals. You must not hunt or kill or eat them; these acts are illegal. If you capture a wild animal, you must contact the local relevant department to report the information.