A rescue call from the Jamia Islamia university led the Wildlife SOS Rescue Team to a rarely found Small Indian Civet. Reported from one of the IT department rooms in Jamia Islamia university, it was sitting inside a cavity above the parapet inside the room and had been spotted numerous times.
When the team reached the location it was confirmed to be a civet, but looked a little different than the usual Asian Palm Civet. Although it was visible, it was still at an inacccesible location for a safe rescue. The team had to disturb the animal to drive it out in the open. The moment the animal came out the team safely secured an animal snare and transferred it to the transport box.
The Civet was brought to the medical rehabilitation shelter of Wildlife SOS and identified as a Small Indian Civet (Viverricula indica). A rarity in the civets its seldom sighted as compared to the Asian Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphrodites). It had a small injury on the tail probably resultant of a fight with a dog or another civet. The Civet was kept under medical attention and after full recovery has been released in the home range.
Small indian civet is rarer in its range. It’s a nocturnal and terrestrial mammal capable of climbing high trees and preferentially stays on the forest fringes eventually coming in contact with human habitation. Its hunted chiefly in this range for its meat and ocassionaly “civet” the musk gland present in these species to be used in the perfume industry. The population of these civets is on decline owing the severe habitat destruction currently in place. It is an omnivore and feeds on smaller mammals, rats, snakes etc and occasionally fruits.
