Critically Endangered
For a little while people got all excited because they thought one of these had been seen wandering a street in India. Sadly, it wasn't a Malabar, it was the small Indian Civet, which is about 6 or more inches smaller than these, and is not endangered at all. The Malabar has not been seen since 1987. There were surveys to look for them back in 1990 and in 2014, but none were found. Unfortunately, it is highly probable that they are now extinct. If they still do exist, they are very likely the rarest mammal in India. There is really very little known about them. The assumption is that they eat eggs and small animals, along with some vegetables or fruit. A different kind of civet is what is kept, often in atrocious conditions just to make the ridiculously expensive coffee. There was one male Malabar that was kept in captivity for a while, and he lived to be 15.4 years old. It is thought they could well live longer because of how long other civets live, some at least 20 years.
Even if I was to find a lottery ticket on the ground, pick it up, and it was a huge winner I don't think I'd be able to live like a wealthy person. I have no desire to try civet coffee or anything like that. I would make sure all of my family was all living in safe comfortable homes. I would take my kids on a vacation somewhere, and get something for them and for my husband that they've always wanted. I would get myself an electric pottery wheel and a new camera. My back doesn't like the kick wheel I have, or my heavy camera. Beyond that, depending on what I had I'd start a therapy camp that would serve inner city kids and soldiers with ptsd. There would be rescue livestock that they would help care for, and there would be art of all sorts. I would also start a women's shelter. Tied to it would be an animal shelter for cats, dogs, and other small animals. It would also have a cafe. The women would be required to take a turn at working in the center's daycare, in the cafe cooking and running it, in the cleaning crew, learning dog training, learning building maintenance, learning landscaping, and doing bookkeeping, etc.. Every part of the center they would get a chance to try out, and when they found something they liked they would get in depth training in that. Many women leaving abusive relationships have been kept from being able to get a job or work experience. This would help them to be confident that when they left they could find work (we would help them), they would have experience in the field already, and they would be able to support their family. Men are also in abusive relationships, and I loathe how often it seems they are forgotten when someone talks about abuse. I would love to have a center for men as well, and for homeless families, but I would start with the one before making more of them. I know it won't ever happen, but I do enjoy dreaming about both and the good that could come from them.
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