Hikers rescue trapped palm civet along Mt. Tapulao trail in Zambales

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A group of hikers rescued a palm civet that was trapped in a snare along the trail of Mt. Tapulao in Zambales.

According to Kuya Kim’s report on “24 Oras” on Thursday, as seen in hiker Sly-King Danago's video, the animal was seen struggling after getting caught in a trap while the group was exploring the mountain, the highest peak in the Zambales Mountain Range.

At first glance, the animal looked like a cat because of its appearance and unusually long tail. However, the group later identified it as a palm civet, locally known as a musang.

“First of all, we felt sorry for the civet because it seemed to be struggling,” Danago said in Filipino.

Their guide said the trap where the civet was caught may have been set up by local hunters in the mountain. Because of this, Danago and the other hikers did not hesitate to rescue the trapped animal.

“We decided to do something to set it free. We cut the rope,” he shared.

The civet was eventually freed from the trap, as seen in the actual video. However, Danago expressed concern that despite being rescued, the animal could still fall victim to another trap.

“Along the trail, we saw a lot of traps. It’s a sad reality. I hope people stop setting up these kinds of traps because, in the future, our children might no longer get to see these animals,” he said.

Nonie Enolva, chief of the Marine Fisheries Resources Management Section of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), said the civet was likely a bycatch, as the trap was primarily intended for monitor lizards and other lizard species.

“I don’t think it was the actual target of the trap. It was probably just bycatch. The animals usually caught in these traps are monitor lizards or other lizards. Hopefully, those who set these traps are aware of what is prohibited and what is not,” she said in Filipino.

Palm civets are often mistaken for cats because of their appearance. In fact, they are also commonly called “toddy cats.”

However, Kuya Kim explained that these small mammals are not actually members of the cat family. They belong to the family Viverridae, which also includes other species of civets, genets, and linsangs.

Palm civets are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night. They become more active in search of food after dark and typically rest during the day.

They are also arboreal, which means they live in trees and are skilled at moving among branches. Their long tails help them maintain their balance as they climb and navigate through the trees. —Jade Veronique Yap/CDC, GMA News