Civet Camera Trap Project

I am a Lecturer at Newbury College teaching Animal Care and a PhD student with Oxford Brookes University studying the little known animal called the Asian Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus). This animal is best known for Kopi Luwak or Civet Coffee made from semi-digested beans collected from the animal's faeces. Less is known about the animals' habitat use, populations and behaviour in the wild. My project aims to collect data on the habitat use, behaviour and make estimates of population around the village of Cipaganti, in the district of Garut, Java, Indonesia. The trade in civets as coffee producers and for pets is potentially threatening populations but this hasn't been quantified. More information is needed to determined to offer habitat management and population protection to the species in the wild. I would like to purchase and set-up 10 camera traps in to my study site to identify where civets prefer to live, other species that are also there and what numbers plus indications to natural behaviours. Data collected will help me with the writing of my thesis, publishing data and hopefully contributing to formulating management policies.