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Before news of the latest SARS outbreak hit, we'd never even heard of an animal called the civet cat, so we welcomed the chance to learn more. Information on these rodent-like animals was easy enough to locate with a simple search. Turns out civet cats are not cats at all. Hailing from Africa and the East Indies, the animal is closer to a mongoose than to any type of feline, although it is a distant relative of the common house cat. With its masked face, cat-like body, and long tail, it bears a resemblance to the raccoon. The nocturnal animal feasts on fruit,
as well as a certain type of coffee bean, whose crops have been increasingly encroaching on the civet cat's habitat. The civet cat is fairly valuable in Asian markets -- its meat is considered a delicacy, its musk is used to make perfumes, and it's often hunted for its fur. In some parts of the world, the little critter has become an endangered species. Recent developments have not helped the fate of the civet cat. During the initial SARS outbreak, the animal came under suspicion as a possible source of the virus and was banned from markets. When the outbreak died down, they made their way back onto the menu in many of the Chinese restaurants that specialize in wildlife, only to be banned again just last week. Although there is no conclusive proof that the animals are contributing to the spread of SARS, thousands of masked palm civets have been drowned or electrocuted in an effort to stop the outbreak.
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