Commonwealth Drive resident opens door for fresh air, awed by sight of civet cat
Wanting some fresh air, a resident opened the door to his unit.
The Stomper was pleasantly surprised to see a Common Palm Civet and shared a video of the sighting in the vicinity of Block 90 Commonwealth Drive on Feb 15, at around 9pm.
The nimble creature can be seen climbing up and down a tree and even leaping from branch to branch.
The Stomper recounted: "I initially thought it was a cat roaming around the grass, until I got my camera out to zoom in and take a closer look at the animal.
"To my surprise, it was a racoon-looking creature searching for food near a tree. I presumed it was a Common Palm Civet.
"I recorded it for as long as I could see it, being in awe of its movements and its interactions with the environment.
"However, since I have not really done extensive research on this animal, I wonder if it should be out in a normal HDB neighbourhood or stay in its natural habitat such as a jungle or nature reserve.
"If there are no problems with civet cats being in HDB neighbourhoods, then it is truly beautiful to see this nocturnal animal at night doing its things!"
According to the National Parks Board (NParks), the Common Palm Civet is one of the species of civet that can be seen in Singapore.
Fond of trees and high places, they are usually found living in the forests, parks, mangroves and even roof spaces of buildings in urban areas.
Those who encounter civets are advised to leave these shy creatures alone. You may observe them from afar but do not try to corner or chase them, as that may provoke them to attack in order to protect themselves.
Members of the public can call NParks' Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600 when a civet is trapped in your house and unable to leave on its own or the civet appears to be injured.
More information about civets can be found here.
