Estimated months of parturition and litter size in female masked palm civets (Paguma larvata) in Kanagawa Prefecture and Tokyo Metropolis

Abstract

Reproduction of the masked palm civet (Paguma larvata) has not been well investigated in Japan. We examined 361 female masked palm civets harvested as nuisance animals between April 2007 and March 2009 in Kanagawa Prefecture and Tokyo Metropolis. Pregnant animals and placental scars-bearing animals were found only in 12 months old and over. In these animals, the observed rate of pregnant animals was 13.7% (29/212) and that of placental scar-bearing animals was 29.2% (62/212). The number of fetuses ranged from 1-4 (average 2.8), and the principal months of parturition estimated from the crown-rump lengths of fetuses were from March to November.