Indian Wildlife Researchers Show Their Fangs Over Permit Hassles

摘要

Little is known about the Malabar civet {Viverra civettina), an endangered mammal the size of a small dog that lives in the wet forests of southern India. It has never even been photographed in the wild. To get a better understanding of this vanishing beast, N. V. K. Ashraf, a veterinarian with the Wildlife Trust of India in New Delhi, sought a research permit last January from the Kerala Forest Department, which manages the civet's last-known habitat. Permission was granted—but to work only between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. The Malabar civet, however, is a nocturnal animal. Not surprisingly, Ashrafhas found no trace of the civet during his daylight-hours research.