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New Mammal in Karura
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17 Aug 2017
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Newsflash! New Karura mammal species captured by one of the FKF KaruraKams. On the night of 16 August, at 20:23 PM, one of the FKF KaruraKam camera traps ‘caught’ a first for Karura Forest: an African Palm Civet (a.k.a Two-spotted Civet, Nandinia binotata arborea).
In Karura Forest, this interesting little mammal finds itself at the extreme eastern edge of it’s central African range. Largely solitary, semi-arboreal, it eats just about anything from palm fruit to figs to whatever small mammals and birds it can catch. It is so odd that taxonomists place it in its own family of mammals. It has retractable claws like a cat, a forefoot digit that is nearly a thumb, and sticky foot pads that allow it to sprint vertically up and down tree trunks.
African Palm Civet (Source: Jonathan Kingdon, African Mammals. London: Academic Press. 1997)
This sighting is one more exciting piece evidence of a successfully recovering forest ecosystem. And all within Nairobi city limits and easy reach of anyone who wants to come for a walk in the woods (but not at night — the Palm Civet is nocturnal).

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