LINSANGS: CHARACTERISTICS, BEHAVIOR, SPECIES

LINSANGS

1) Banded Linsang (Prionodon linsang), 2) Spotted Linsang (Prionodon pardicolor)

Linsang is an Javanese word applied to four species of tree-dwelling carnivorous mammals. The two African species — two African linsangs are the African linsang and Leighton's linsang — belong to the family Viverridae and the two Asiatic species — the banded linsang and spotted linsang — belong to the family Prionodontidae. In the Asian speices the second upper molar found in viverrids are absent. In the Javanese language linsang — or wlinsang — was previously, translated incorrectly in English dictionaries as "otter".

Linsangs have a greater morphological resemblance to cats than in the other viverrids. It was originally thought that linsangs and cats were distantly related and were good examples of convergent evolution but DNA analysis indicates that while the African linsangs are true viverrids closely related to the genets, the Asiatic linsangs are not, and instead, may be the closest living relatives of the cat family Felidae, meaning among other things that the similarities between Asiatic linsangs and cats are more likely the result of common ancestry than convergent evolution. [Source: Wikipedia]

Linsangs are generally nocturnal (active at night) and solitary. They are carnivorous, eating squirrels and other rodents, small birds, lizards, and insects. Their body and head length is a little longer than 30 centimeters (12 inches) and their tail is more than double that length. Their bodies are long, with short legs, giving a low appearance. Both species have yellowish bodies with black markings that include stripes, blotches, and spots, although the distribution and nature of the markings varies between the two species. They may visually be confused for a civet, which also has a wide range of markings.

Viverridae

spotted linsang

The Viverridae family is a family of small to medium-sized, somewhat cat-like mammals, comprising 14 genera with 33 species, that includes genets and civets. Viverridae typically have a long body and tail, short legs, an elongated neck and head and a tapered snout. Most civets and genets have spots in longitudinal rows along the body. All species have scent glands in the anal region, and in civets these produce a substance used in perfumes. Some viverrids are carnivorous while others eat only fruit, even though they possess the teeth of a carnivore. Most are ominvorous, and eat small mammals and birds, lizards or invertebrates

Most members of the Viverridae family are solitary. Viverrids are native to Africa (except the area immediately south of the Mediterranean), Madagascar, the Iberian Peninsula, southern China, and South and Southeast Asia. Favored habitats include woodlands, savannas, and mountain biomes and, above all, tropical rainforests. As a consequence, many are faced with severe loss of habitat; several species are considered vulnerable and the Otter Civet is classified as endangered. Some species of civet are very rare and elusive and hardly anything is known about them. Hose's Civet, endemic to the montane forests of northern Borneo, is one of the world's least known carnivores. While the Viverridae family is a large group with many species, the habits of many species are poorly known.

Spotted Linsangs

Spotted linsangs (Prionodon pardicolor) live in forests that extend from Assam in eastern India across Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos to northern Vietnam. Resembling a cross between a small dog and spotted cat, these slender, muscular mammals moves gracefully from branch to branch in the forest canopy, using their tail for balance and stability. Nocturnal, they have large ears and big eyes adapted for night vision. These animals spends most of their time in trees and feeds mostly on small animals. Females give birth to litters of two or three, with peak births in February and August.

range of the spotted linsang

Spotted linsangs prefer dense tropical forests at elevations up to 200 meters (656 feet). but have also been observed in areas with drier conditions. They have disappeared from much of their former range. They are no longer found in Sikkim and Thailand. Their lifespan in the wild is not known by a captive P. linsang lived for 10 years and eight months. [Source: Brian Kepner, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Spotted linsangs are primarily carnivores (eat meat or animal parts) and mostly eat rodents such as rats and mice, but also eat birds, insects, small reptiles, frogs, eggs, and carrion. In addition to meat, they are also are known to eat fruit. Predators for this species. have not been reported

Spotted linsangs are nout endangered. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List classifies them as a species of “Least Concern”. On the US Federal List they are classified as Endangered. In CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild) they are in Appendix I, which lists species that are the most endangered among CITES-listed animals and plants. The main threat to spotted linsangs is loss of habitat from logging and conversion of forests to agriculture. They are sometimes hunted for meat and fur.

Spotted Linsang Characteristics and Senses

Spotted linsangs are long, thin, cat-like animals. They measure 37 to 43 centimeters (14½ to 17 inches) from head to rear end and have a tail that is 30 to 36 centimeters (12 to 14 inches) long. They weighs 0.6 to 1.2 kilograms (1.3 to 2.6 pounds). Sexual Dimorphism (differences between males and females) is not present: Both sexes are roughly equal in size and look similar.

According to Animal Diversity Web: The head resembles that of a fox, but has a longer muzzle. The soft, dense fur feels like velvet and is cryptically colored with spots arranged in longitudinal rows. Individuals vary in coat color from orange-buff to pale brown. The long and fluffy tail is banded with eight to ten dark rings. The large, well padded feet are covered with short hair and have retractile claws. The front paws have claw sheaths, but the hind feet have protective lobes of skin. The complete covering of the legs by hair helps to distinguish linsangs from other members of the family Viverridae. In addition, these animals lack a perineal gland, and the second upper molars are missing.[Source: Brian Kepner, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Spotted linsangs sense and communicate with vision, touch, sound and chemicals usually detected by smelling. Their large, dark eyes are good for night vision. Their hearing is acute and their pointy ears are highly mobile. Communication has not been reported for this species. However, other viverrids are known to make some vocalizations. They also communicate through scent cues. Tactile communication is typically important between mates as well as between a mother and her young. /=\

Spotted Linsang Behavior and Reproduction

range of the banded linsang

Spotted linsangs are arboreal (live mainly in trees), nocturnal (active at night), motile (move around as opposed to being stationary) and solitary. Their sharp claws and long, thin bodies help enable them to run along branches. From time to time they hunt on the ground and spend the day sleeping in nests in tree hollows or under tree roots. The nests are lined with dry leaves and twigs. [Source: Brian Kepner, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

The mating system of spotted linsangs has not been reported. They have one breeding season in February and a second in August. Individual females can produce one or two litters per year. The gestation period and weaning period is unknown. It is also unknown when they become independent and at what age they reach sexual maturity, and at what age they first breed. /=\

Young are iteroparous. This means that offspring are produced in groups such as litters multiple times in successive annual or seasonal cycles. /=\ Pre-weaning and pre-independence provisioning and protecting are believed to be done by females. Mothers hide their young in tree or root hollows lined with dried vegetation, where they may stay until weaning. In addition making sure their offspring are in a safe location, mother provides their young with milk. It is not known if males are involved in parental care. /=\

Banded Linsangs

Banded linsangs (Prionodon linsang) live in tropical forests in western Malaysia, southern Thailand, Sumatra, Borneo, Java and a few other islands in Indonesia. Slender and agile, they have a long neck and long, narrow head with a tapered snout. They are sometimes referred to as the tiger-civets. /=\ Their coat is short and velvety and has a overall pale color with bands of dark spots along the back. Nocturnal and solitary, they live almost exclusively in trees. Its claws are completely retractile. It does not have much of an odor.

banded linsang

Banded linsangs feed mostly on insects and small animals such as frogs, snakes, lizards, birds, squirrels, rats mice. They are quite fond of eggs which they crush with their front paws, slurping up the contents. They sense using touch and chemicals usually detected with smell. /=\

Banded linsangs have been described as the rarest of all civets because they elusive and hard to see in the wild. It is not clear hwo many of them there are. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List classifies them as a species of “Least Concern”. In CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild) they are in Appendix II, which lists species not necessarily threatened with extinction now but that may become so unless trade is closely controlled. [Source: Sarah Frantom, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Banded Linsang Characteristics and Behavior

Banded linsangs measures up to 40 centimeters (16 inches) from head to rear end and have a thick, splotchy ringed tail that is slightky shorter than the length as their body. They weigh about 750 grams (24.6 ounces). According to to Animal Diversity Web: Banded linsangs are very pale yellow with five large transverse dark bands on their backs. They have broad stripes on their necks with small elongate spots and stripes on their flanks. The tail has seven or eight dark bands and ends in a dark tip. Banded linsangs have retractile claws which are very sharp, and have specialized razor-sharp teeth for shearing their food. The soles of their feet have hair between the pads and their toes. Their average lifespan is estimated to 10 years. [Source: Sarah Frantom, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]

Linsangs are arboreal (live mainly in trees) and are agile and quick in trees. Their bodies are long and slender with short legs, well-suited for running on branches and jumping between them. Their long tails aid in balancing. They can move quite fast on the ground too.

Linsangs are secretive, elusive and generally solitary. Female offspring stay with their mother until maturity, but male offspring leave soon after weaning. When hunting, their slender bodies move snake-like along the path of the prey, very well camouflaged by their coats./=\

Females give birth to litters of two or three young in a burrow, in the ground or hollow of a tree with peak births in February and August. The young open their eyes after about 20 days and become independent at about four months. The estrus cycle for banded linsangs is 11 days. Newborns weigh 40 grams. The young are hidden in tree or root hollows lined with dried vegetation, where they may stay until weaning.

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources: Animal Diversity Web animaldiversity.org ; National Geographic, Live Science, Natural History magazine, David Attenborough books, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Smithsonian magazine, Discover magazine, The New Yorker, Time, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Lonely Planet Guides, Wikipedia, The Guardian, Top Secret Animal Attack Files website and various books and other publications.

Last updated January 2025