The current novel coronavirus outbreak has again triggered discussions on wildlife trade. Documents published by the World Health Organization on infectious diseases such as bird flu and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) suggest that humans should avoid contact with the feces of wild animals. Kopi luwak (civet coffee), the most expensive coffee in the world, is made from partially digested coffee berries found in the feces of Asian palm civets. This coffee trade puts both humans and Asian palm civets at risk. 

In 2003, the SARS virus was isolated in several masked palm civets in south China's Guangdong Province. Asian palm civets are closely related to masked palm civets as they all belong to the Paradoxurinae species, a subfamily of the viverrids. However, there is no direct evidence that Asian palm civets carry the SARS virus.

The Asian palm civet is an omnivore that mainly feeds on fruits, small mammals and insects. Civets naturally produce genuine Kopi luwak. They eat ripe coffee cherries freely on coffee plantations and can't digest coffee beans, so the coffee beans are excreted in their droppings. Due to Kopi luwak becoming increasingly famous, many wild civet cats are captured and only fed coffee berries. Captured from the wild, where they had better diets and roamed freely, these civet cats suffer from malnutrition, mania, depression and often self-harm. 

The captive Asian palm civets are detained inside tiny cages in appalling conditions. Farm workers pick up fresh feces, wash them with water and dry them. Everything is done by hand and without hygienic measures to guarantee food safety. 

The civet coffee trade has also spawned copycat industries, like coffee made from beans digested by elephants.

(Cover Photo via VCG)

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