With only an annual production of between five-hundred and seven-hundred pounds per year and a continuing growth in demand, sadly, many producers have begun turning to inhumane methods for profit. This has resulted in the unregulated removal of civets from their natural habitats. A variety of different civet species are used, some of which are in danger of extinction. The binturong species, for example, has been classified by the International Union for Conservations of Nature’s Red List as being vulnerable to extinction, rendering it protected by Indonesian law. The other is the palm civet which is a more widespread species but it is currently unknown how many of this particular species is captured per year so there is a good chance these unregulated civet farms may be contributing to their possible extinction.

The civets are captured through inhumane methods such as box traps, snares and hunting dogs causing injury, stress and at times death to the animals. They are then either directly sold to commercial civet farm owners or put on display for sale at noisy and dirty wildlife markets. Civet farms can range in size from small rural operated farms to large manufacturing facilities. Within these farms, the civets live under horrific conditions, in small cages without the proper shelter or environment to meet their basic behavioral needs, separated from their families, and deprived of exercise. The animals display obvious signs of distress including pacing, repetitive motion, chewing on their cages and self-mutilation. In addition, these poor creatures suffer from a restrictive diet of strictly coffee berries, resulting in poor nutrition, fur loss, and bloodied stool causing disease and early death.

Please view the video below from PETA.