Alert citizens of Delhi have helped rescue two injured wild animals with the help of Rapid Rescue Unit of Wildlife SOS, a non-governmental organization working for animal conservation.
The injured animals, a jackal had wandered off to a medical store and a feral cat was found at a colony in South Delhi.
Alert staff from an office in Shahpur Jat spotted a small Indian civet near the front door. The animal had difficulty walking and eventually settled on a doormat. Concerned for his welfare, staff contacted the Wildlife SOS 24×7 emergency hotline (+91 98719 63535).
Upon arriving at the scene, the rescue team, after a careful inspection, found that the animal had injured its jaw. The civet was rushed to a transit facility for medical treatment and is currently under observation.
Praising the office staff, Kartick Satyanarayan, CEO of Wildlife SOS said, “Civet cats are commonly seen in Delhi and they can survive in a wide range of habitats. It is heartening to see people acting out of compassion and empathy for wild animals residing in altered urban spaces.
A small mammal native to South and Southeast Asia, the small Indian civet is primarily nocturnal and insectivorous. Although they are considered inauspicious due to superstitions and false beliefs, they play a vital role in the ecosystem by controlling the rodent population and dispersing seeds when they feed on fruits, berries and of coffee beans.
In another incident in the capital, a medical shop owner discovered a young jackal in his shop at Sri Aurobindo Marg. The animal was struggling to move and had taken refuge under a shelf at the back of the store. Seeing the fate of the animal, the owner called the SOS Faune.
The two-member rescue team discovered that the jackal was a young male and had suffered minor stomach injuries, believed to have been caused by a dog attack.
Carefully moving the jackal into the carrier without stressing it, the animal was taken in for emergency treatment.
Protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, the golden jackal is native to the Indian subcontinent. Omnivorous in nature, it feeds on a variety of small mammals such as hares, different birds, fish and even fruits.