DERA GHAZI KHAN: A rare Indian civet cat was successfully rescued and released back into its natural habitat in the Kot Chutta tehsil area of Basti Khawaja following a coordinated operation by the wildlife department.
The rescue operation was launched after the office of the wildlife rangers received a call about the presence of the elusive animal in the locality.
Acting on the directions of Deputy Chief Wildlife Rangers Muhammad Hussain Khan Gashkori, a team was constituted under the supervision of Assistant Chief Wildlife Rangers Kashif Hamid. The team included Senior Wildlife Rangers Mustansar Iqbal and Wildlife Rangers Ajmal Shahzad, Aamir Rasool and Abdul Qayyum.
The officials carried out the rescue with care, safely securing the animal before transporting it to a suitable natural habitat, where it was released unharmed.
Speaking to Dawn, former senior conservation officer of WWF, Umer Waqas, said the Indian civet is a highly beneficial nocturnal predator. Locally known as musk billa, the species marks its territory by secreting a distinctive musk from its glands.
He said Indian civets are found across the riverine forests and agricultural belts of south Punjab, where they play a vital ecological role by naturally controlling crop-damaging rodents and hunting venomous snakes.
Waqas said the rescue was particularly vital during June and July, when snakebite incidents typically increase across the region. He stressed the need for greater public awareness, urging people to protect the species rather than harm it, as these peaceful animals serve as natural defenders against agricultural pests and dangerous reptiles.
Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2026
