Best UK Palm Civet enclosure

[felis silvestris]

This is just a bit of fun to judge the general consensus on the best enclosure for Palm Civets in the UK. I have added a few photos from the gallery to make it easier for members to compare the different exhibits. If anyone wants to make an argument for a particular enclosure, please feel free to do so. Also, I would encourage people to list the enclosures in order of what they think is best.

The Gelada and Fishing cat polls are closing tomorrow so if you haven't voted please do before it closes.

Port Lympne (Owston's)

Newquay (Owston's)

Shaldon (Owston's)

Thrigby (Owston's)

Hamerton (White-Bearded) (I think it's the further exhibit)

Photo credits to @gulogulogulo @twilighter @Bele @MagpieGoose @ro6ca66

 

[Kalaw]

I've only seen Shaldon's, so I am not going to vote, unless the other members detail the other enclosures, but I will say that the enclosure at Shaldon is, in my opinion, excellent.

Plenty of logs and cover, but food is placed in the open, so if you time your visits right, you have a good chance of seeing the civets (or at least the male, who is particularly active). Much like the Margay enclosure, a timed feeder is present, which dispenses food at regular intervals throughout the night - coupled with the 24 hour access to the outdoor enclosure, it allows them to be displayed in a diurnal enclosure, while still encouraging the natural, nocturnal behaviours. One more thing to note is that, when the civets aren't breeding, the male remains in the enclosure pictured above, while the female is moved to the Prevost's Squirrel enclosure (pictured below), which is very similar in terms of spaciousness, climbing and vegetation. This enclosure actually won a BIAZA award in the nineties, although that is more because of the network of overhead tunnels (not sure if the civets can access this), and as such, it doesn't do much for Shaldon's case in this thread.

 

[Lafone]

I’ve only seen Thrigby and Hamerton in the list. Exmoor has them too in an area quite similar to the Hamerton one.

Hamerton has a few enclosures with the bearded civets in now since they produced the youngsters. The enclosure in the picture offers access to both sides at the moment and they move between them. Then there is another enclosure near the entrance which has indoor viewing as well (opposite the ring tailed lemurs and next door now to a golden possum). And then there is one in what I think might be temporary accommodation between the skunk / camomistle and the coatis (it’s not signed there).

The main one has more grassy areas now which the civets seem to enjoy lying in and they have climbing frames, planting and their house in that one is off show.

 

[Moorhunhe]

For Hamerton, it's both enclosures they can use (for a while now).

 

[felis silvestris]

Apologies. I completely forgot about the commons. I'll put them in a separate poll soon.

 

[Kalaw]

Exmoor has them too in an area quite similar to the Hamerton one.

I am assuming that you are referring to the African Civet enclosures, as Exmoor has never held palm civets to my knowledge, unless they are new.

Apologies. I completely forgot about the commons. I'll put them in a separate poll soon.

Owston's Civets are a separate subfamily to the others, so I don't see a problem in giving them their own poll. Especially since including all the civets in one poll, even excluding Binturongs, would probably have far too many enclosures.

Really enjoying these threads, by the way!

 

[Lafone]

I am assuming that you are referring to the African Civet enclosures, as Exmoor has never held palm civets to my knowledge, unless they are new.
Owston's Civets are a separate subfamily to the others, so I don't see a problem in giving them their own poll. Especially since including all the civets in one poll, even excluding Binturongs, would probably have far too many enclosures.

Really enjoying these threads, by the way!

True wrong sort of civet though the enclosures are so similar I guess they could have one poll too.

 

[snowleopard]

This thread showcases the 'wood and wire' structure of so many British zoo exhibits. Looking at a photo of a typical enclosure, one wouldn't be surprised to see a civet or squirrel or primate or small cat or a dozen other species as options. Obviously, homegrown British zoos don't have massive resources to build grandiose zoo exhibits, but it makes me wonder what could be done for civets that is perhaps a little different or out of the ordinary. Maybe a large, live tree in the middle of an enclosure? Perhaps an overhead walkway that goes over the heads of visitors?

Or maybe a 'running wheel', like what this Fossa had at Cleveland Zoo when I was there in 2010.

 

[felis silvestris]

This thread showcases the 'wood and wire' structure of so many British zoo exhibits. Looking at a photo of a typical enclosure, one wouldn't be surprised to see a civet or squirrel or primate or small cat or a dozen other species as options. Obviously, homegrown British zoos don't have massive resources to build grandiose zoo exhibits, but it makes me wonder what could be done for civets that is perhaps a little different or out of the ordinary. Maybe a large, live tree in the middle of an enclosure? Perhaps an overhead walkway that goes over the heads of visitors?

Or maybe a 'running wheel', like what this Fossa had at Cleveland Zoo when I was there in 2010.

Interesting to think about. However, I thought that running wheel seemed familiar...

Is it in this video? I'd watched it before and I had no clue what it was, so that explains it. Is the enclosure in the video (unfortunately on stereotypic or "depressed" zoo animals) in the same place? (Fossa part at 5:48)

 

[Lafone]

This thread showcases the 'wood and wire' structure of so many British zoo exhibits. Looking at a photo of a typical enclosure, one wouldn't be surprised to see a civet or squirrel or primate or small cat or a dozen other species as options. Obviously, homegrown British zoos don't have massive resources to build grandiose zoo exhibits, but it makes me wonder what could be done for civets that is perhaps a little different or out of the ordinary. Maybe a large, live tree in the middle of an enclosure? Perhaps an overhead walkway that goes over the heads of visitors?

Or maybe a 'running wheel', like what this Fossa had at Cleveland Zoo when I was there in 2010.

The overhead tunnels are a good idea particularly if they link two parts of an enclosure and the places I’ve seen them the animals make use of them.

 

[Kalaw]

Perhaps an overhead walkway that goes over the heads of visitors?

The overhead tunnels are a good idea particularly if they link two parts of an enclosure and the places I’ve seen them the animals make use of them.

As mentioned, the females at Shaldon, who share their enclosure with Prevost's Squirrels, should, in theory, be able to access the network of overhead tunnels in their enclosure, as there is nothing preventing them from doing so. The problem is that civets are nocturnal (although to be fair, binturongs are very often active by day in zoos), and from what I gather, nobody has ever seen Shaldon's civets use the tunnel, even though they could. Medium-sized carnivores like civets are often displayed in diurnal, outdoor setups, so as to offer them space and natural sunlight - for the most part, this is excellent, but it does make the chances of seeing civets do anything other than venture outside briefly to get some food.

That wheel looks brilliant, however, and I would indeed love to see more British zoos attempt more imaginative and diverse enrichment items like that!

 

[Lafone]

It’s the perennial challenge of exhibiting shy or diurnal / nocturnal setups isn’t it - the zoos get the whole ‘I saw no animals!’ Visitor comments too.

The value of keeping / breeding them is often higher than the possible sightings. I guess it’s one of the reasons zoos also focus on having a number of popular but often ‘on show’ animals too.

 

[Rajang21]

Interested to see the general consensus on these having worked a lot on Owston’s civets during my MSc!

Newquay also keeps them in the nocturnal house as well as the outdoor enclosure where they are mixed with Prevost’s squirrels.

 

[snowleopard]

The video of the pacing Fossa appears to have been taken at a different zoo, @felis silvestris, but thanks for linking it to this thread anyway.

 

[Alwaysevergreen]

Okay, is this just Owlston's Civets, or other civets as well, as we have a split of two species in the poll, and the exhibit you show for Port Lympne, I don't know how old this is, but the Owlston's Civets are offshow there, definitely not signed and in an exhibit around the back of the Rusty Spotted Cats, and whilst those who do a small cat experience can sometimes see them (not often), the general rule of thumb is, no pictures allowed in off show areas, so I think that's either an old photo of when they were on show, or a picture, which shouldn't have been uploaded? Either way, their exhibit off show, didn't look like that to my recollection.

Newquay's are also in the nocturnal house there, so again not sure if that's an old exhibit or they access to two exhibits.

At Hamerton, there are three exhibits for Sumatran White Bearded Civets.

Shaldon's exhibit is shown above, and Thrigby's has just had a whole makeover.

Not likely to vote until clarification on the above, but feel this poll may need some tweaking.

 

[Rajang21]

Okay, is this just Owlston's Civets, or other civets as well, as we have a split of two species in the poll, and the exhibit you show for Port Lympne, I don't know how old this is, but the Owlston's Civets are offshow there, definitely not signed and in an exhibit around the back of the Rusty Spotted Cats, and whilst those who do a small cat experience can sometimes see them (not often), the general rule of thumb is, no pictures allowed in off show areas, so I think that's either an old photo of when they were on show, or a picture, which shouldn't have been uploaded? Either way, their exhibit off show, didn't look like that to my recollection.

Newquay's are also in the nocturnal house there, so again not sure if that's an old exhibit or they access to two exhibits.

Shaldon's exhibit is shown above, and Thrigby's has just had a whole makeover.

The Port Lympne photo was posted in the gallery in 2016.

Newquay usually have a pair in each exhibit and they have an offshow space for them as well.

I will share some enclosure photos from the Save Vietnam's Wildlife rescue centre in Cuc Phuong NP to show how they are cared for in their native range.

 

[Willem123]

There is an exhibit for asian palm civet at the wentworth garden centre family farm. I do not have any pictures.

 

[Rajang21]

There is an exhibit for asian palm civet at the wentworth garden centre family farm. I do not have any pictures.

If Asian palm civets are added to the poll that adds at least another 18 holders (according to ZTL) and probably more that are not listed on that site (such as the one you've mentioned). I agree with @Alwaysevergreen that this poll should stick to Owston's.

 

[TNT]

Obviously, homegrown British zoos don't have massive resources to build grandiose zoo exhibits, but it makes me wonder what could be done for civets that is perhaps a little different or out of the ordinary.

Interestingly, Wild Zoological Park have a civet mixed with ASCO and Binturong in an open topped enclosure with a large tree and pond. From memory, it was quite a nice enclosure.

 

[TNT]

@gulogulogulo shared a nice photo on the forum.