The civet, sometimes referred to as a Toddy Cat - not an accurate nickname -, is a small animal of the Viverridae family and is found mainly on the Asian and African continents.There is a large civet population in the Indonesian forests, where they eat fruit and seeds. Their diet also contains coffee beans. But the seeds are not digested and are passed through in the excrement. This is an important step in the process of making the coffee called Kopi Luwak -luwak being the name of a civet in Indonesia -, a coffee that sells for up to $100 a cup, reports The Dodo.
Source: Peta Asia
But this lucrative industry is hiding a dark and tragic secret. Civets kept in cages in plantations are force-fed coffee beans after having been captured and sold. After three years of captivity, the farmers release them into the forest where the creatures end up dying very soon after their release, as they are ill and traumatised and can no longer survive on their own.
Source: Peta Asia
An investigation launched by Peta Asia brought to light the terrible conditions in which these civets live. Jason Baker, vice-president of Peta Asia, confided:
[Civets] were confined to filthy, barren cages. Undercover video footage shows how the civets also exhibit neurotic behavior such as incessant pacing, spinning, bar-biting and head-bobbing — indications that the wild-caught animals are going insane from boredom and depression.
Source: Peta Asia
But one little civet had a guardian angel protecting him and has his own happy story. He was captured like so many of his family members, destined to a miserable life of exploitation and a quick death. But the owner of the plantation, touched by the animal's distress, decided to change her fate.
Source: Ecoproject
He decided to hand her over to, Ecoproject, a non-profit organsation that specializes in freeing wild animals in plantations. This decision was thanks to the encouragement of Bobi Handoko, the director of the project.
Bobi took the terrified civet home, where she met the pet cat, Dalih.
Source: Ecoproject
As night fell, Bobi decided to free the civet so she could return to her natural habitat. The little animal left the cage, but stayed in Bobi's garden for four days before disappearing.
Source: Ecoproject
This civet was able to escape a tragic future, but many other are not lucky enough to flee the shameful Kopi luwak industry. Don't hesitate to support Ecoproject, and spread the word. Many people don't know about the conditions of the production of this coffee.
H/t: The Dodo
