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Demand for Kopi Luwak May Be Threatening Wildlife
Damien1972 writes "Popularization of the world's strangest coffee may be imperiling a a suite of small mammals in Indonesia, according to a new study in Small Carnivore Conservation. The coffee, known as kopi luwak (kopi for coffee and luwak for the civet), is made from whole coffee beans that have passed through the gut of the animal. The coffee is apparently noted for its distinct taste, though some have argued it is little more than novelty. Now, this burgeoning kopi luwak industry is creating 'civet farms,' whereby civets are captured from the wild and kept in cages to eat and crap out coffee beans."
I am a big coffee drinker and a very fuzzy one at that. A couple of months ago my brother in law knowing my love for coffee bought me some Kopi Luwak from in Malaysia. I cannot even begin to explain how disappointed I were in the experience of drinking this supposedly fantastic brew. I would not compare it with a cheap coffee as it do have a unique and distinct flavor and aroma that is far from unpleasant that set it apart from any other coffee I have ever had, but it certainly does not live up to the reputation it have and it is in my opinion ridiculously overrated.
"I have downloaded hundreds and hundreds of records, why would I care if somebody downloads ours?" Robin Pecknold
Initially civet coffee beans were picked from from wild civet excrement that was to be found around coffee plantations. This unusual process contributed to its rarity and subsequently, its high price. More recently, growing numbers of intensive civet "farms" have been established and operated across Southeast Asia, confining tens of thousands of animals to live in tiny cages and be force-fed.
'"The conditions are awful, much like battery chickens", said Chris Shepherd, deputy regional director of the conservation NGO Traffic south-east Asia. "The civets are taken from the wild and have to endure horrific conditions. They fight to stay together but they are separated and have to bear a very poor diet in very small cages. There is a high mortality rate and for some species of civet, there's a real conservation risk. It's spiralling out of control. But there's not much public awareness of how it's actually made. People need to be aware that tens of thousands of civets are being kept in these conditions. It would put people off their coffee if they knew"'.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak