Life as an urban civet might have some perks. Urban civets are frequently surrounded by nice yummy fruits (eg. mango and chiku) on fruit trees which people plant in their gardens. Furthermore, urban civets might also live in cosy roof spaces where they seek shelter during the cold rainy times.

However, life as an urban civet is definitely not a bed of roses. It can sometimes be a tough and unpredictable life that they lead while trying to survive in this urban landscape.

There are several threats that urban civets commonly face. Firstly, urban civets have to watch out for traps set up by a minority group of humans who dislike civets in close proximity with them.

Trapped civet with an abrasion on its snout awaiting its release (Photo by Xu Weiting)

Trapped civets usually sustain injuries to their snouts and gums, while attempting to escape the cages. Luckily for these civets, they only have superficial injuries and if they are healthy, they will be released back to the wild.

The next two threats are often fatal to urban civets.

An urban area also means busy streets, where cars zoom by. Civets sometimes use roads to travel from one area to another. Unfortunately, while doing so, civets sometimes get killed and become roadkill.

Furthermore, pet dogs can sometimes be a danger to civets, as they are sometimes caught unaware. This is particularly so in young and inexperienced civets. Once caught in a jaws of a dog, these small civets often end up dead with puncture wounds.

Dead baby musang bitten by a dog (Photo by Vilma D'Rozario)

So now, do you really think being an urban civet is THAT easy? For one wrong move, it could very well end up dead.

Hence, it is of utmost importance for us to do our part to reduce the threats that urban civets face. Civets might create a little bit of trouble, but it is definitely more afraid of you than vice versa. The presence of urban civets should be celebrated as part of Singapore’s natural history. So let’s be gracious and share some of our living space with them.