A dead civet was spotted on the road on Jul. 1 night by a member of the public, who then buried it by himself to prevent the carcass from being run over by other vehicles.

This was revealed in a post in the Singapore Wildlife Sightings Facebook group on Jul. 3 by the man who found the animal.

According to the post, the civet was believed to have been killed after it was hit by a vehicle.

Spatters of blood could be seen around the animal on the road.

The man said he took matters into his own hands by burying the animal instead of leaving it exposed out in the open, where it would have been repeatedly run over by other vehicles.

The exact location of the incident was not disclosed, but the man wrote that there was "a forest nearby" and a part of it had been cleared for other uses.

He added that he buried the civet in the forested area that remained.

The man also lamented that the driver should not have left the civet on the road as it was "just sad since the road was more than quiet enough for him to at least move it to the side".

What to do if you see a deceased animal in Singapore?

Members of the public are advised not to touch or pick up any sick or dead animals, according to the latest advisory by NParks issued in response to Covid-19.

If unavoidable, good hygiene practices such as thorough handwashing with soap should be maintained.

Should you encounter sick animals, please call the Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600.

If the carcass is found within a housing estate, you can contact the respective Town Council. If the carcass is found in other public areas, you can contact the National Environment Agency (NEA).

What are civets?

According to the National Parks Board (NParks), civets are commonly called "civet cats" and are also known as musang.

However, they are not cats but more closely related to mongooses.

These creatures have a long, sleek body, with short limbs, a long tail, long muzzle and small ears.

They are identifiable by their dark greyish brown body, with three dark stripes along the back and black spots on the sides, and a black "mask" across the face.

In Singapore, the common palm civet is commonly sighted.

They are nocturnal in nature and prefer to stay in trees and high places.

Members of the public are advised to leave civets alone as they may become aggressive when provoked.

Helplines

If you see a wild animal in distress, you can contact:

• ACRES Wildlife Rescue Hotline (24-hour) at 9783 7782
• NParks Animal Response Centre: 1800 476 1600

Top photo from Nparks & Facebook