Civets are one of the rarely-seen wild residents in Singapore.
Unfortunately, one of them was found dead, with a dart lodged in its body, in Kembangan.
Someone shot a dart at a young civet
On May 20 morning, a resident in Kembangan, who only wishes to be known as Martin, found the carcass of a young civet in his neighbourhood at around 9:30am.
Martin told Mothership that there was a group of civets residing in the vicinity.
They do not bother the residents and, in fact, were only sighted once or twice in a year.
He took photos of the carcass and had alerted the criminal department at Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres).
Acres later collected the carcass from Martin.
*WARNING: Graphic images ahead*
Photo by Martin.
Photo by Martin.
Acres urges authorities to ban the sale of blow darts
Speaking to Mothership, Acres co-CEO Anbarasi Boopal said that the carcass has been sent to NParks' lab for a post mortem.
She appeals to the public for more information about this case as well as any other cases related to the use of darts on animals.
Anbarasi told Mothership that they have come across several cases of pigeons injured or killed by darts in Tampines and Pasir Ris last year even though the group is not sure if it is the same type of darts used.
Acres filed police reports in 2020 and 2021 to urge for a ban in the sale of blow darts in Singapore.
"There is no reason for anyone to use these in Singapore, and it's very difficult to trace who used it. The civet dart steel shaft is very thick and can cause serious injuries to humans as well," she said.
Civets are rarely seen but not uncommon in Singapore
Common Palm Civets are one of the animals in Singapore that you rarely see.
That's because they are nocturnal and move stealthily in the dark.
Civets are usually found in forested areas as they enjoy staying in trees or high places.
They can sometimes be spotted in roof spaces of buildings in urban areas too.
Here are things to take note of when you encounter civets, according to NParks:
- Leave the civet alone but you can observe it from afar.
- Avoid making the civet feel threatened by chasing or cornering it as it may attack in self-defence.
- If civets are spotted in the vicinity, do not leave any food, including cat or dog food, out in the open.
- If you find baby civets, leave them alone and do not attempt to pick them up. Mother civets may abandon their babies if too many people are crowding around. The mother will respond to the baby civets' cries and find them.
- If the civet happens to give birth in your property, the family will move out of your property in a few months once the babies are able to forage with their mother.
If you need help, please contact Acres at 9783 7782 or Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600.
Top image courtesy of Martin