The majority of the decline of the otter civet is connected to habitat destruction, the use of forests for oil palm, and the degradation of river habitats with pollution. The loss of trees impacts the ability of otter civets to find stable living locations and influences their population decline (WCS Indonesia, n.d.). Similarly, the decrease in riverine areas has an identical effect. Pollutants are the primary issue as they worsen the living conditions as well as food and water sources for otter civets.
The otter civet feeds on a number of small prey including fish, crab, mollusks, birds, and fruit. Decreasing populations of otter civets cause rapid and potentially detrimental changes in the populations of its prey. The otter civet is a secretive species and is not well-researched (IUCN, n.d.). As such, the extent of the damage caused due to their decline may be more severe than initially observed.
Palm oil production is a leading detriment to the otter civet population. Easy access to the forests for local firms allows them to increase their supply regardless of the harm caused to local wildlife. Increasing logging of palms for their oil allows them to gain larger profits, which often causes them to ignore the consequences that local species meet. Currently, no alternative product or incentive to change to more sustainable production models exists for these firms in order to resist logging forests and decrease the habitat of otter civets. Government subsidies are essential for these firms to produce more appropriate levels of palm oil. The issue is in maximizing profits in order to bypass the net loss of a company. With government subsidies, firms may be able to pay for necessary spendings such as wages, equipment, and the planting of new trees without increasing logging.
References
IUCN. (n.d.). Otter Civet. IUCN Red List. Web.
WCS Indonesia. (n.d.) Sunda Otter Civet. WCS Indonesia. Web.