Toddy Cat, Civet

A young lady found a very weird-looking ‘cat’ in her drain recently. This animal was almost dead as it had ants all over it and was not responding well. Two weeks later it was released back into the jungle due to her hospitality. This lady’s name is Miss Izni Merni. So, when Izni found this civet, she called Shavez from the Wildlife club and Ying. Upon arrival, the civet was clearly in a terrible state and had a few injuries. It was rushed to a local clinic, Petlink where Dr Faiz only gave it 50% survival rate. The civet was then prescribed three types of medications. These medications were purchased by concerned members of the public which includes Lucille, Andrew and others who wish to remain anonymous.

After that, the civet had to be hand fed for 4 days and was slowly becoming active. However, since the fourth day, it became aggressive and energetic. Hence, it was difficult to touch the civet. Earlier, we were afraid it was going to die but a leap of faith took place in a single day. We kept it for another week and it became healthier and gained some weight.  Then, it was finally released in a protected forest and this became the rescued number 44 for the wildlife lovers.

The Asian palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus), also called toddy cat, is a small member of the Viverridae family native to both South Asia and Southeast Asia. In 2008, the IUCN classified the species as the  Least Concern as it is tolerant of a broad range of habitats. The Asian palm civet is a small, mottled gray and black viverridae weighing 2 to 5 kg (4.4 to 11.0 lb). It has a body length of about 53 cm (21 in) with a 48 cm (19 in) long tail. Its long, stocky body is covered with coarse, shaggy hair that is usually greyish in color. Asian palm civets are believed to lead a solitary lifestyle.  And, they are omnivores utilizing fruits such as berries and pulpy fruits whcich acts as a major food source for them. Thus, this aids in maintaining the tropical forest ecosystems via seed dispersal. However, civet cat is now facing a threat due to the recent surge in Kopi Luwak.

Rescued by Izni Merni