Wild Welfare and The Civet Project Foundation Partner to Champion Viverrid Welfare

Global animal welfare charity Wild Welfare have announced a new collaboration with ‘The Civet Project Foundation’, a UK-registered charity dedicated to the conservation of civets and to raise awareness of their role in unethical coffee production, meat farming, and the illegal wildlife and pet trade.

The Civet Project, founded in 2019 by Jes Hooper, aims to address the critical threats faced by civets, particularly in Southeast Asia. Jes is a postgraduate researcher in Anthropology at the University of Exeter, and member of the IUCN SSC Small Carnivore Specialist Group.

“Civets are amazing animals and there is still so much more to learn about them. Yet their exploitation, particularly for luxury coffee, is sadly the most notable fact about them amidst the public. We established the Civet Project Foundation to raise the profile of civet species within the scientific community and the animal advocacy space.” – Jes Hooper, The Civet Project Foundation

While civets (members of the viverrid family) are a relatively unknown carnivorous species, they play a vital role in their natural ecosystem, however population numbers are declining due to habitat loss and the escalating cruel practice of civet coffee production. Civets are shy, solitary and mostly nocturnal animals, often mistaken for cats, due to their similar body shape and long tails.

CREDIT: The Civet Project Foundation

Civet coffee, also known as Kopi Luwak or ‘cat-poo-chino’, is made from beans that have been eaten and defecated by wild caught civets. However, the continued growing demand for this expensive “luxury” coffee has led to the widespread caging of civets to increase farming yield. These animals are subjected to extremely poor living conditions, leading to significant welfare concerns.

“The civet coffee industry is a hidden animal welfare crisis,” said Wild Welfare Director, Simon Marsh.

“We are impressed by The Civet Project’s dedication to raising awareness about this issue and promoting ethical alternatives. Wild Welfare is committed to supporting organisations that champion animal welfare on a global scale, and we believe The Civet Project has the potential to make a real difference.” – Simon Marsh, Director, Wild Welfare

The collaboration between Wild Welfare and The Civet Project will focus on raising public awareness about the plight of civets and the ethical concerns surrounding the civet coffee industry. Wild Welfare have supported the production of a new groundbreaking documentary exposing the hidden secrets of civet coffee tourism and its devastating consequences on animal welfare, conservation and human health.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Wild Welfare,” said Jes Hooper, Founder of The Civet Project. “Their expertise and established network will be invaluable in helping us achieve our goals. Together, we can create a future where civets are protected and consumers can enjoy real luxurious coffee without compromising animal welfare.”

CREDIT: The Civet Project Foundation

With the aim of bringing the plight of civets out of the shadows and into the spotlight, the Civet Project Foundation is launching the first ever World Civet Day on Thursday April 4th 2024. “By harnessing the collective communication power of schools, universities, animal conservation and welfare NGOs such as Wild Welfare; World Civet Day will spread key educational messages concerning civets and the threats they face” explained Jes. Partners from across the globe, including Wild Welfare will be engaging their audiences through shared content on social media, hosting in-person events at zoos, colleges, universities, and virtually online. One such webinar jointly hosted by Wild Welfare and The Civet Project on Wednesday April 3rd will celebrate the lead-up to the big day. The stream will feature an exclusive early look at the new documentary trailer for “Civet Coffee: From Rare to Reckless” as well as featuring special panel guest, Director and Producer, Jack Wootton (follow our social media channels for broadcast time and updates). The documentary, featuring world famous conservationist Dame Jane Goodall, will be available to stream following World Civet Day via EcoFlix.com, the world’s first non-profit streaming platform dedicated to non-fiction wildlife and nature films.

“Alongside the film release, we’re also calling for a global stand against civet coffee.” – Jes Hooper, The Civet Project Foundation

Dr. Jane Goodall
CREDIT: The Civet Project Foundation

Scientific evidence has shown that the welfare of civets cannot be met in attractions where Civet Coffee is produced. The Civet Project is calling for TripAdvisor to issue animal welfare warnings on all civet coffee attractions listed on their site. Captive civets will suffer pain, malnutrition and disease while they are routinely displayed and utilised for coffee processing without adequate housing, nutrition or access to water.

By visiting civet coffee attractions, tourists are unwittingly contributing to this animal welfare crisis. “TripAdvisor must adhere to its own animal welfare policy by issuing a warning about all promoted civet coffee attractions on their platform.”
The Civet Project and Wild Welfare are backing a public Change.org petition to urge the global travel review website to post warnings on all related Civet Coffee attraction pages.

“Civets deserve so much more and we hope that our collective efforts will lead to systemic improvements to captive civet welfare and wild protection” – Jes Hooper, The Civet Project Foundation

With demand for Civet coffee continuing to increase, there has never been a better time to act. Wild Welfare’s collaboration with the Civet Project Foundation is one of many steps towards ensuring a more sustainable and ethical future for civet populations and the coffee industry within South East Asia. The fight to end civet exploitation is far from over, but with this collaboration and the power of collective action, a brighter future for civets is brewing.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

For more information or interview requests please contact Wild Welfare on communications@wildwelfare.org

Wild Welfare is a global organisation committed to improving animal welfare for captive wild animals. By uniting the world’s leading zoos, zoo associations and animal welfare organisations, we build trusting partnerships that help provide long-term solutions to critical wild animal welfare issues.

Our vision is a world where every captive wild animal is able to thrive and live a good life. Find out more at wildwelfare.org. Registered charity in England (no.1165941).