A civet is a small, lithe-bodied, mostly nocturnal mammal
native to tropical Asia and Africa, especially the tropical forests.
The term civet applies to over a dozen different mammal species. Most of
the species diversity is found in southeast Asia. The best-known civet
species is the African Civet, Civettictis civetta, which historically has been the main species from which was obtained a musky scent used in perfumery. The word civet may also refer to the distinctive musky scent produced by the animals.
