Assault on Biodiversity: Civet killed and eaten in Cachar's Behara; Forest division to probe the matter

In Cachar district’s Behara area there is a village known as Shibtilla. Yesterday, the local tribe of the Shibtilla area saw a unique animal and then started chasing it. As per available information, after chasing it for a while, the locals nabbed it and killed it with a stick.

The barbaric act does not end there. As per the sources, the locals chopped it into pieces and had it for supper.

The incident took place at around 8:30 at night and as per experts in the forest department, the animal is a Large Indian Civet. Though Behara is in Cachar district, it comes under Karimganj Forest Division.

The DFO Karimganj said he was not aware of the incident. When Barak Bulletin’s correspondent sent the images to him he said, “We have just got to know about it and will initiate a probe.”

The experts said it looks like a Small Indian Civet. The small Indian civet (Viverricula indica) is a civet native to South and Southeast Asia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List because of its widespread distribution, widespread habitat use, and healthy populations living in agricultural and secondary landscapes of many range states.

Civets are also called toddy cats are carnivorous mammal species from the Viverridae family, native to the rain forest of Asia and Africa. India is home to a large number of civet species and these nocturnal mammals are hunted for skin and bush meat. African Civet and Malayan civet are two more known species of civet found out of the Indian sub-continent. In China, the flesh of Civets is traded as meat.

The expert feel, the Civet must have reached the foothills of Borail Mountains chasing food. However, it ended up becoming dinner itself.