In this special edition blog, we hear from Cerys Deakin (The Civet Project Foundation intern) who shares her experience of the first ever Viverrid Workshop.
The 23rd of January saw the start of the first Viverrid workshop and conference. This event, in collaboration with BIAZA mammal working group, The Civet Project Foundation and Dudley Zoo & Castle, was the first of its kind to bring people from across the globe together with the explicit focus of: Viverrids! The two days were packed full of presentations, workshops and discussions, all designed to expand and share knowledge on Viverrids by bringing in-situ and ex-situ conservation together.
Day 1 - Scientific Presentations
Day 1 was packed full of engaging presentations, from ex- situ care to in-situ monitoring and research. We heard from experts across the globe on how they are contributing to progressing understandings of Viverrids. We kicked the day off hearing from James Welch who talked us through Binturong enclosures and left everyone questioning whether a group of Binturong should be called a bimble - we definitely think so!
Owston’s civet (Chrotogale owstoni) took the spotlight with presentations on the origins of Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (by Stewart Muir), the development of the conservation action plan (by Civet Project trustee, Zak Showell) and the ongoing ex-situ breeding efforts (Christa von Essen, Dr Veronica Cowl, and Dr Kathy Baker). Discussions of civet breeding efforts were a key focus throughout and Catherine Evans shared the fantastic news about successful breeding at Hamerton Zoo, including the births of their triplet white bearded Sumatran civet (Paguma leucomystax).
Day 2 - Workshops
Day 2 saw the attendees putting their skills and knowledge to use through debate and workshops. ABConservation proposed a new diet survey for ex-situ binturong populations, to aid the progression of understandings of diet to improve captive binturong welfare. When presented with this new survey, delegates came together to provide advice and thoughts on the project, with hope to refine the methodology to ensure that data is informative and valued. This presentation gave way for conversations about Viverrid diet and nutrition in ex-situ establishments and how best to tackle Viverrid obesity for optimal health and welfare. It was fantastic to see people comparing notes to see how they can develop best practice for care of Viverrid species in zoo environments.
Following the first nutrition discussion, delegates then had the choice to take part in one of two streams. It was encouraged that each attending organisation had a delegate in each stream, to ensure that insight could be gained from both sessions. These sessions were fantastic and received high engagement and participation.
Stream 1 - Captive Care
Stream 1 was packed full of discussions and activity sessions on all things ex-situ Viverrid care, including nutrition, training and enrichment. The first session kicked off with a fantastic discussion where everyone pitched in their experiences and ideas about the nutrition of all Viverrids in captivity. This allowed keepers from around the world to compare the successes and challenges they have faced in tailoring diets to their resident Viverrids. We very quickly learnt that some organisations have residents that are significantly more picky than others!
Delegates heard from attendees from Shaldon Zoo who lead discussion in Viverrid training. A particular highlight for many was watching Zak being trained like a Viverrid!
Following a lunch break full of discussions with Dudley keepers, attendees for stream 1 took part in an enrichment session. During this session attendees formed small groups to have discussions with Dudley keepers, BIAZA representatives and each other to compare ideas on enrichment and care. The Dudley team then led the enrichment construction session, involving the recycling of fire hoses, through the creation of plaited features . Each small group was provided with an instruction pack for two different types of enrichment. It was fantastic to see delegates getting stuck in creating their own enrichment, offering solutions to one another and comparing the enrichment that they use in their own zoos. The enrichment was designed to promote the expression of natural behaviours such as foraging at different levels, seeking our scattered resources and time investment in foraging.
Stream 2 - Ambassador training
Stream 2 was a milestone moment for The Civet Project and ABConservation as Dr Jes Hooper and Dr Louise Bodnar led the first Ambassador training session. These sessions are being rolled out to zoos and universities across the world to give opportunities for better understanding of Viverrid educational resources and how to use them effectively. We hope that by training more people to raise the profiles of Viverrid species, that more people will become interested in Viverrid protection and will take action to make positive pro-conservation change.
Beginning with an informative presentation, Jes talked delegates through the origins of the Civet Project and the importance of Viverrids. Attendees took part in fun short quizzes to test their knowledge and show off their understanding, with a Dudley Zoo education volunteer taking first place, despite confessing to know little about Viverrids to begin with! This portion of the session was an excellent way to introduce people to the charity's mission and ignite interest in working together, to improve the future of civets.
The second half of the session allowed attendees to really get stuck in with our resources and activities. Groups rotated throughout 4 activity stations. The first involved children's colouring resources that allow young people to learn the anatomy of Viverrid species and create masks that they can wear on days like World Civet Day and World Binturong Day. An attendee from Wentworth Farm showed great enthusiasm for this activity and we are excited to see these activities implemented at their own collection this year. A second station gave attendees the opportunity for some crafts in creating paper puppets of Viverrid species. These stations are an excellent addition to aid education, allowing participants to take something home to remind them of our message. The third station featured our civet themed board games. The games allow people to familiarise themselves with the life cycle of a civet through imagery, captions, and fun-fact question and answers. The final station is the one that gets people laughing - making civet poop (seed bombs). Our trustee, Lucy Newton, talked participants through the process of creating civet poop which delegates got to take home in colourful poo bags. These 'poops' are a terrific and sustainable way to illustrate the excellent seed dispersers that civets are in the wild. The final stage of poop creation involved the rolling of poops in wildflower seeds, to finalise the creation of the seed bomb.
Outcomes
Our Pledge to Reverse the Red for Viverrids
The two day Viverrid Workshop was successful in bringing together in-situ and ex-situ conservationists from across the globe. This was highlighted by over 25 zoos joining us in pledging to Reverse the Red for Viverrids at the event.
Reverse the Red is an IUCN initiative that promotes action through cooperation to ensure that there is survival of wild species and ecosystems. As a charity, we have pledged to reverse the red for two species - the Owston’s Civet and the Binturong. We have strategically planned to maximise our contributions to the initiative, and this Workshop was one of the ways in which we have worked to reverse the red through knowledge sharing and stakeholder connection. We are glad to see that feedback from the conference has illustrated high engagement, with attendees feeling that they gained valuable insight from the presentations and workshops.
Binturong Care Guide
Sarah Bonser-Blake, from Wild Welfare, gave an engaging presentation detailing her experience in the conservation industry. She spoke in detail about the care guides that Wild Welfare produce, to ensure best practice is adopted for ex-situ animals. Sarah presented the range of care guides available on their website, before presenting the call to action. Surrounded by so many experts in the room, Sarah called on attendees to offer any updates information on how they care for their Binturong, and what successes and failings they have experienced.
Night Roamers
Through raffle sales alone, the conference attendees funded an entire year of the Civet Project’s Night Roamers initiative, led by trustee Lucy Newton. Night Roamers is the first project of its kind, looking to provide greater and improved monitoring of African viverrids. Using citizen science to inspire greater love for Viverrids and upskill students in nocturnal monitoring techniques, the conference raffle has ensured that this project can run smoothly with all the resources it needs. The support shown by workshop attendees demonstrated the care people have for Viverrids, and their conservation- we cannot thank them enough!
Growing the network of Civet Champions
Since the event, The Civet Project has received fantastic feedback demonstrating the importance and value of events such as this, in uniting a community that can otherwise feel quite small. Many attendees expressed their joy upon seeing how many people care for these animals'. As a charity we are already beginning to see increased interest in participation in upcoming projects and events, such as World Civet Day, World Binturong Day and our Reverse the Red pledges.
Personal Takeaways
I have been working with The Civet Project Foundation since November 2023, working on all things communication, research and social media. This event was the first opportunity I've had, to come together with other people with a passion for Viverrids. There was a time when I had no idea what a civet was, and upon learning the threats that they are facing I felt a great urgency for priority and conservation. Whilst it was incredibly exciting to hear from experts across the globe, to learn about husbandry, and present our own research, the biggest take home message for me was different. I am filled with hope to know that there are people from around the world that are fighting to create a better future for all Viverrids. This was evident through the passionate talks, engaging debates and the support that attendees showed for The Civet Project Foundation. At this event alone, attendees donated enough to fund the Night Roamers project for an entire year. The support shown for our charity and for all the work presented was beyond what I could have hoped for.
It is so exciting to see like-minded, passionate people coming together. I look forward to seeing what the future holds and the continued growth of the Viverrid community.
Huge thank you to Dudley Zoo & Castle for hosting us!
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