An Asian palm civet was rescued by Wildlife SOS Rapid Response Unit from the Department of Biophysics, University of Delhi, earlier this week. The animal has been released back into its natural habitat.
A distress call on the Wildlife SOS 24-hour rescue helpline (9871963535) alerted the NGO’s Rapid Response Unit to the presence of the civet inside a laboratory on South Campus.
A student of the Department of Biophysics found a set of muddy paw prints inside the laboratory and found the animal hiding inside a cabinet. She immediately contacted Wildlife SOS. A two-member rescue team arrived at the location soon and safely removed the animal from the premises.
“I did not want to startle the civet or cause it harm, so I thought it best to let it remain inside the cabinet. I came across Wildlife SOS helpline on our emergency contact list and called them for help,” said student Abhishikha Srivastava.
The Asian palm civet ( Paradoxurus hermaphroditus ), also called a toddy cat, is a small member of the family Viverridae native to south and south-east Asia. It can survive in a wide range of habitats and can be seen in urban environments, but quite rarely as it tends to be shy and wary of humans. It feeds on fruits, berries, coffee beans, insects and small mammals, and is protected under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Kartick Satyanarayan, the co-founder of Wildlife SOS, said: “We believe the civet cat had wandered out of the neighbouring forest area, which is its natural habitat. 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 sensitised towards the presence of wild animals in the NCR.”
