A camera set in the forests of Tongonan Geothermal Project in Ormoc City, Province of Leyte during a biodiversity monitoring of the University of the Philippines Institute of Biology (UPIB) captured the presence of a Malayan civet locally known as “maral .”

According to the video uploader who goes by the handle “Nel Mar,” the Malayan civet (Viverra tangalunga), locally known as sing-gawong, gawong, maral or maray are omnivores with a diverse diet that includes fruits, small animals, and insects. 

“This diet helps them control pest populations and disperse seeds. However, as their habitats are increasingly disturbed by humans, they sometimes venture onto farms, consuming the internal organs of farm chickens,” Nel Mar said in a post. 

“This species are primarily nocturnal, active at night when they hunt or forage, and sleep during the day in trees or other sheltered areas to avoid predators. They also have scent glands near their tails, which they use to mark territory and communicate with each other. This gland also produces a strong musky smell which is more prominent in males since males often marking territory more frequently as a way to establish dominance and communicate with other males,” he added. 

Nel Mar pointed out that though Malayan civets are not endemic to the Philippines, they are worth protecting as they “play a unique role in the forest ecosystem.”