News
Crafty, nocturnal ninja running wild in city homes
Some residents of the city and suburbs are increasingly troubled by the nocturnal activities of palm civets, which take shelter in their homes.
The palm civet is a small mammal with a long, furry tail and a pointed snout.
There are times when residents seek the help of local authorities, pest control companies, the zoological gardens and the Department Wildlife Conservation, but face roadblocks over who is in charge of controlling the wild creature.
The common palm civet, or Paradoxurus hermaphroditus, locally known as Uguduwa or Kalawadda, is a medium-sized nocturnal mammal which lives in rock crevices and tree hollows.
This is one of two species common in Sri Lanka.
It is also found in ceilings, attics in homes in urban areas. It is also an omnivore which feeds on fruit and small mammals, insects, and birds. Its feeding habits have helped it to adapt to life in urban areas.
It was also a virus infected civet cat that had been eaten by a Chinese man in the city of Guangzhou in the southern Guangdong province, that was the source of the deadly SARS virus in 2002-2003, which spread rapidly causing human deaths.
Residents of Colombo, Dehiwala, and Mount Lavinia, and suburbs are familiar with the nuisance and the damage that palm civets cause. They complain that the civets defecate, urinate in attics and soil their homes.
Kumudu Kumari Diddeniya, a resident of Mount Lavinia, said civets was one reason that led to the decision to sell their ancestral home in Kawdana Road in Dehiwala.
“We feared the ceiling would fall on our head as the cackling civets would tumble and run on It.” she said.
Her daughter’s electric organ had been destroyed as a civet had urinated on it while the organ was plugged in.
Ms Diddeniya said that often at night they hear squeaks and squeals of mice being killed by civets living in the ceiling.
A worker of a pest control company says civets are attracted by mice, garbage, as well as dark and dry attics.
Some say that they have even captured litters of civets from ceilings. Civets reproduce in urban areas when conditions are favourable.
An employee of a pest control company, W.K Thushara Hemantha, 39, said that lately, mice and rat infestation has increased in Colombo.
He explained that palm civets have been attracted to attics as they feed on mice and dwell in dark places.
“We normally capture at least one civet in a trap cage. We bait the trap with fruit or meat,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Sunday Times also learned that some of the pest control companies in Colombo either instruct the people to contact the municipal council or the wildlife department to remove the animals as they have no knowledge of safely capturing animals. Some companies added that they lack the equipment to deal with larger, nuisance animals.
Some employees of pest control companies poison the civets when they are unable to capture the animals.
Municipal Council officials said they do not have the authority to remove civets.
The chief veterinary surgeon of the Colombo Municipal Council, Dr M Ijas told the Sunday Times that people are asked to contact the Department of Wildlife Conservation when residents call for help.
“We receive frequent complaints and requests to remove palm civets from houses; we have no authority, expertise and equipment to do that. DWC has the authority to handle wild animals,” he said.
Dr Ijas also said civets are also carriers of rabies and people also should avoid being bitten by them.
Meanwhile, the Director General of the National Zoological Gardens, Shermila Rajapaksha said that the zoo also gets complaints and requests to remove these creatures.
“We direct people to contact the
DWC as they are the responsible party,” she said.
The head of the Wildlife Department told the Sunday Times that although it handles wild animals, creatures would only be removed if lives are in danger or if people are being harassed.
The DWC director general, Chandana Suriyabandara said that the pest control companies have no right to remove or harm civets.
He said that wildlife officers would only remove an animal if it causes harm to people or if it causes harassment.
Environmental activist from the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR), Sajeewa Chamikara said habitat destruction has caused animals to seek refuge in human settlements.
“When the animals have no natural habitats they are forced to make use of suitable conditions available in urban areas, that is why palm civets take refuge in attics,’’ he said.
Cut off access to ceilings
The Director General of Department of Wildlife Conservation, Chandana Suriyabandara told the Sunday Times that houses should be designed to block access to ceilings and attics so that animals such as civets will not take residence.
It is also useful to trim or cut down trees which allow civets to reach rooftops. Measures should also be taken to eradicate mice and dispose of garbage properly so that civets will not be drawn to homes looking for pray and food.
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!