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ShareKOLKATA: Has the Malabar Civet, once found only in the Western Ghats, disappeared? A study undertaken by the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) reveals that the Malabar Large-spotted Civet (Viverra civettina) also known as the Malabar Civet could well be on its way to extinction.
The Malabar Civet listed "critically endangered" in the red data book of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is among the 15 most threatened mammals in the world today.
The nocturnal cat was last spotted fifty years ago in the forests of Kerala. Not a single photograph of the animal exists today, say wildlife specialists. Hopes were raised in 1991 when the cat's skin was found in the possession of a local villager.
But the findings of the recently conducted study give no reason to cheer. Dr Rahul Kaul, director, wild species, WTI, told DNA: In the last one-and -a-half years, neither we nor the local villagers or hunters have been successful in spotting a Malabar civet."
The project, which included extensive research and interviews with locals and forest officials, will continue for another six to seven months, by which time Dr Kaul says, the team will be able to decide if the search for the elusive cat needs to be continued.
According to a wildlife expert, very little is known about the Malabar Civet as there has been little attempt in the past to study its ecology till it went missing due to loss of habitat and widespread hunting.
Some sightings were reported in the past along the Malabar Coast in Kerala and Karnataka, but they were never confirmed.
Three other species from the same family are found in India - the Common Palm Civet, the Brown Palm Civet and the Small Indian Civet- all whose glands are used in making perfumes.
