A large civet, also known as the African civet, is a nocturnal mammal that belongs to the Viverridae family. The animal is native to Africa and is known for its distinctive spotted fur, elongated body, and relatively large size in comparison to other civet species. The large civet is sometimes referred to as the spotted linsang or African linsang, as well as the common palm civet due to its arboreal tendencies. Other synonyms for this animal include the large spotted genet, the African spotted genet, and the large grey civet. Despite its name, the large civet is not closely related to felines or feline civets.