By Debasis Chakrabarti, Compassionate Crusaders' Trust

On Sunday June 7 at 6:30 in the morning a desperate caller from New Alipore (at the southwest fringe of the city) asked for urgent help. He informed us that a strange looking, “half-cat/half fox-like” animal had stuck its head into an empty lamp-holder in the false ceiling of his room.

Compassionate Crusaders’ wildlife rescue team sprang into action . By 8:30  the young Civet was rescued and securely in a cage. Our team had had to cut open the masonite board to bring the civet out unharmed.

After a little recuperative exercise, it was taken to the New Alipore police station by 9 o’clock.

As it was a Sunday, all our resources, vehicles, man power etc.were stretched to the limit, and we requested the police to get the government wildlife squad alerted so that they could, at least, collect it from the police station. As usual they came very "fast"--as "fast" as they could-- and collected the hapless animal at around 11.30--two and a half hours later! All through that time, our guys had to take turns sitting at the police station keeping an eye on the civet for both for its own safety and also to save the curious onlookers!  (Civets can emit quite a strong scent!)

The civet is fine now and should be releasable back to his home in the wild!

Note: Civets are small carnivores--rather like a mongoose--found in Africa and Asia.

How you can help

Injured or distressed wildlife found in any country in the world needs to be cared for only by organizations with the proper experience and government permits--as was done in this case.

To visit the website of Compassionate Crusaders' Trust please go to:

http://www.animalcrusaders.org/

Photo:  Milkovasa / Dreamstime.com / a civet