LUCBAN, Quezon: Two wild cats are back to romp in their mountain haunts.

Two Philippine civet cats locally known as alamid or musang were officially turned over recently to the Mt. Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape-Protected Area and Management Board (MBSCPL-PAMB) by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB).

Officers of Southern Luzon State University (SLSU) and the non-government organization Tanggol Kalikasan, witnessed the releasing of male and female civet cats to their natural home at the slopes of Mt. Banahaw in Lucban.

The two Philippine civet cats were rescued by the Environment department-PAWB from a pet shop in Cartimar, Pasay City and from a farm in Tagaytay City.

Considered as one of the country’s rare and endemic species, the Philippine civet cat (Paradoxorus philippinensis) belongs to the Viverridae family.

They are nocturnal cat-like animal of the Mongoose species and feeds on fruits and berries particularly coffee.

The civet excretes the coffee seed known in other countries as Kopi Luwak or caphe cut shon (fox dung coffee) in Vietnam and kape alamid in the Philippines.

The coffee produced out of this process is touted as the world’s most expensive coffee.

Aside from the coffee bean extract, the civet cat also secretes a musk smell from its perennial glands and this “strong-scented secretions” are used for making perfumes.

PAWB officials reported that some scrupulous hunters capture civet cats and their prey to extract the gland secretions of the civets.

Dr. Rizza Salinas, PAWB Wildlife Rescue Center in Quezon City, who was instrumental for the return of the civet species, said that the Philippine civet cat plays an important role in the ecosystem by way of propagating the seeds it spewed after eating them.

“The civet cats propagate the seeds and this natural process spurs a variety of flora and a diversity of plants and fruit trees in the forests,” Salinas explained.

Meanwhile, the environment and wildlife agency increased its information, education and communication campaign to residents at the slopes of Mt. Banahaw about animal species protection and ecological conservation.

MBSCPL-PAMB Protected Area Supt. Sally Pangan emphasized the significance of conservation measures and protection policies on the rare and endemic species.

“Upon their return to their natural habitat, we must ensure that the protected wildlife is healthy, free from any disease and in good shape so that they cannot infect and spread the disease to other species in the natural park,” she added.

Dr. Cecilia Gascon, SLSU president, conveyed her appreciation to the Environment department for releasing the Philippine civet cat at the slopes of Mt. Banahaw in Lucban.

The state university was granted the authority to oversee and as watchdog for environmental protection and serve as ecological caretaker of the Banahaw de Lucban.

Also, the Tanggol Kalikasan appealed for the full implementation of Republic Act 9147 or Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, which prohibits the slaying or destroying of rare and endemic species, inflicting physical harm or injury that damages the rare species’ reproductive system, capturing, hunting, poaching and possession of the rare species.

This law specified that violators will be imprisoned for not less than four years and be fined with P50,000.