Civet cat caught at Hong Kong shopping centre released into wild after check-up

A civet cat which was captured while roaming at a Hong Kong shopping centre has been released into the wild after undergoing check-ups.

The animal measuring one metre (3.2 feet) was spotted at the IFC Mall at 7am on Monday before it was caught and handed over to the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden in Tai Po.

In a reply to the Post, the farm said the civet cat was a young male adult, around one to two years old, of normal size.

An X-ray examination showed the cat sustained no injuries, but only a minor facial abrasion, it said. It was successfully microchipped and released into the wild on Monday.

A spokesman for the farm said that it was the facility’s mission and vision to release all native animals they took in back into the wild, where they belong, once they had determined that they were fit.

According to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, civet cats are protected wild animals in Hong Kong. It is a species native to Hong Kong that occasionally appears in urban areas.