'Leave it alone lah': Netizens react to video of Asian palm civet at HDB block
A video of an Asian palm civet at the foot of an HDB block has drawn varied reactions from netizens - while many found it cute, others warned that it is a wild animal that should never be kept as a pet.
Facebook user Jeremy Tan shared the 25-second clip captioned, "Look at this cutey below my block" on the public group Singapore Wildlife Sightings on Oct 6.
At press time, it had garnered 39,000 views, 1,100 reactions and 135 comments. It was also shared 95 times.
The civet is crouching at the start of the video. It turns and scampers away as the camera approaches, then appears trapped on a ledge looking for a way out before the video ends.
'Eh leave it alone lah'
Several netizens identified the animal as an Asian palm civet, while others identified it by local names such as "musang" or "luwak" - as in "kopi luwak" or civet coffee.
Animals like the one in the video are typically held in captivity - often in cruel conditions - and fed coffee cherries. The partially digested and fermented cherries are then defecated by the civet and its seeds made into kopi luwak.
Netizens were also quick to warn the Facebook user to keep a distance.
"Hi. Understand the enthusiasm but try to take the video abit further. These are wild animals and are often quite afraid of humans. They might get aggressive at times. Good to keep distance and let them be if they aren't injured," said one commenter.
"Eh leave it alone lah... So poor thing... It's terrified of you and your camera... At least stay some distance away... Your phone got a zoom function right?" said another.
Others commented on the animal's cuteness. "What a cutie! His curiosity is so endearing," said one.
"Just a handsome wee guy - look at those rump stripes," said another.
A wild animal, not a pet
"Can we keep him as a pet in Singapore?" asked a netizen.
"No keeping wild animals in sg is an offense," came the reply. Under Singapore law, individuals found keeping or trading wildlife face fines of up to $1,000.
One netizen had a painful account of his encounter with an Asian palm civet: "Decades ago I saw them for sale as pets in Jakarta. I petted one and it bit me and it took me a few minutes before it released my finger. Decided to buy a gold fish instead."
See something interesting? Contribute your story to us.
Explore more on these topics
