A JUVENILE male Philippine Palm Civet was released Wednesday, April 22, back to its natural habitat in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said.
The personnel of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO)-Liloy led the release of the Philippine Palm Civet, locally known as “musang” or “milo”, in a forested area in Labason, Zamboanga del Norte.
Inspector Joel Sabijon, Labason Municipal Fire Marshal, said the Civet found by firemen inside their quarters on Sunday evening, April 19, and was turned over to CENRO-Liloy for proper handling.
“The rescue shows effective coordination between first responders and environmental authorities in protecting wildlife,” the DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula said in a statement.
The juvenile Palm Civet was released after it was assessed and confirmed in stable health condition while under the temporary care of wildlife holding facility of the DENR.
The DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula said the release of the Civet complied with the protocols under the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
Part of the protocol is keeping secret the exact location of the release to prevent wildlife hunters to hunt to newly-freed Civet.
The DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula said the Philippine Palm Civet supports forest health. It disperses seeds, aids regeneration, and helps control insect populations.
Habitat loss and human interaction affect population of Civet although it is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The DENR-Zamboanga Peninsula said that each rescue and release supports ecosystem stability and wildlife conservation efforts.
Meanwhile, the DENR-Zamboanga Penisula urged residents to report wildlife encounters to the nearest DENR field office for proper action.
The environment agency also reminded the public that capture, possession or trade of wild animals is prohibited under the law. (SunStar Zamboanga)