Asian palm civet forages kapok flowers in SW China’s Yunnan

A rare scene of an Asian palm civet foraging kapok flowers was recently sighted in Yingjiang county, Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Yunnan Province.

The Asian palm civet, under second-class state protection in China, prefers to eat stalks of kapok flowers, because of their rich nutrients. The species in China is mainly distributed in Hainan and Yunnan provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

It also feeds on coffee beans. Kopi luwak, a well-known coffee variety, is brewed from coffee beans that have been digested by Asian palm civets.

Photo shows an Asian palm civet foraging kapok flowers in Yingjiang county, Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Yunnan Province. (Photo/He Haiyan)

Photo shows an Asian palm civet foraging kapok flowers in Yingjiang county, Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Yunnan Province. (Photo/Yin Yihu)

Photo shows an Asian palm civet foraging kapok flowers in Yingjiang county, Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Yunnan Province. (Photo/Yin Yihu)

Photo shows an Asian palm civet foraging kapok flowers in Yingjiang county, Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Yunnan Province. (Photo/Yin Yihu)