Taiwan's Masked Palm Civets Are Moving Into the Cities
Researchers from National Taiwan University are studying the growing population of masked palm civets in Taiwan's cities. They're hoping to come up with strategies that protect both the animals and urban residents.
Transcript
00:00 From the forests to the concrete jungles of Taiwan's north,
00:03 masked palm civets are increasingly taking up residence in the big city.
00:08 People in Taiwan have posted pictures online of a small tree-dwelling mammal
00:12 carrying their young, showing that, for the moment, they're here to stay.
00:16 Their increasing numbers have inspired a team from National Taiwan University
00:20 to learn more about these furry new neighbors.
00:23 All kinds of places you can imagine,
00:25 they're all there, like in the ditches,
00:27 the ceiling of the power plant, the ceiling of the building,
00:31 and even the trees.
00:33 They all live in these places.
00:35 Masked palm civets used to be endangered in Taiwan,
00:38 but they were taken off the list in 2019 after successful conservation efforts.
00:42 Now that they're back, researchers are taking the opportunity to study them.
00:46 They've set up tracking programs and cameras,
00:49 and are using social media to collect data from the public.
00:52 When people see a dead or alive palm civet,
00:56 they'll see where it's been reported.
00:58 This information can help us know
01:01 when a white-nosed civet will be in season,
01:02 whether it's carrying a child,
01:03 or when it's appearing in a certain place.
01:06 They're hoping to nip a potential problem in the bud.
01:09 Having civets in civic spaces could endanger the animals
01:13 and pose a health risk for humans.
01:15 On one hand, 20 years ago, the masked palm civet was initially blamed
01:19 as a possible source of the deadly SARS outbreak.
01:22 On the other hand, civets often get killed crossing the street
01:25 and fall prey to both angry landlords and stray dogs.
01:29 Especially when the management of stray dogs and cats
01:34 is not yet perfect,
01:36 this situation may cause the spread of the disease.
01:41 The researchers want to understand patterns in civet behavior,
01:44 to protect them,
01:45 and develop policies for managing them.
01:48 While most people are happy to see masked palm civets popping up near their homes,
01:53 researchers hope they'll help look after the newcomers doing their civet duty.
01:57 Scott Huang and Bryn Thomas for Taiwan Plus.
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