Otter Civet in Peat Swamp forest at Kinabatangan Wetland Resort, Sabah

The Otter Civet Cynogale bennettii is one of the world’s rarest mammals and  although very widespread throughout the swamps and rivers of Borneo the Otter Civet is  rarely seen.

The individual shown below was photographed at night at the side of the one kilometer forest boardwalk through the virgin peatswamp forest surrounding the Kinabatangan Wetland Resort (KWR), on the lower Kinabatangan river delta in Eastern Sabah. The KWR resort is adjacent to c. 40,000 ha of largely protected peat swamp and freshwater swamp forest located between the twin deltas and floodplains of Sabah’s two largest rivers the Kinabatangan and the Segama. The KWR resort is approx. 2.5 hours by speedboat from Sandakan. The Kinabatangan Wetland Resort location is at the ecotone between the fresh and brackish water.

Thanks to KWR guides Dino and Andis for information and photographs.