An Asian Palm Civet rescued from the School of Sciences at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). As per the rescue team members, the animal was found to be healthy and was later released in its natural habitat.
Wildlife NGO, in a statement said that an Asian Palm civet created quite the stir at the (IGNOU) campus on Monday morning. The four-legged visitor was found under a computer table in the staff office located on the second floor of the School of Sciences building.
“It took the team almost 30 minutes to carry out the rescue operation as they had to be careful, not to scare animal any further. The civet cat was subsequently released in the Asola Wildlife Sanctuary,” said a rescue team member.
Surinder Singh Rawat, security personnel said, “We did not want to startle the animal or cause it any harm, so thought it best to let it be till we found help. As we are familiar with Wildlife SOS’ animal rescue efforts, I immediately called their helpline number.”
Wasim Akram, Deputy Director-Special Projects, Wildlife SOSsaid, “The civet was initially stressed and agitated but eventually calmed down once it was safe inside the transport carrier. Often the plight of urban wildlife is dismissed because city dwellers consider them to be a nuisance and they are often met with hostility. We are glad to see that people are becoming more sensitized to their presence.”
Civet cats can be seen in urban environments, but quite rarely, as they tend to be shy and wary of humans.Rapid habitat encroachment and deforestation is beginning to redefine the boundaries between forest and urban areas. Consequently, incidents of wild animals straying into urban area are increasing.
The Asian Palm Civet (Paradoxurushermaphroditus) also called a toddy cat, is a small member of the family Viverridae native to South and Southeast Asia.
Civet cats play an important role in the ecosystem by controlling the rodent population and are prime contributors to the dispersal of seeds as they often feed on fruits, berries, coffee beans, insects and small mammals.’