Agra, Aug 19 : Stuck in a predicament, an Asian palm civet was found with its head stuck in a plastic jar. The Wildlife SOS Rapid Response Unit safely rescued the small mammal from the Agra Air Force station and released it back into the wild. In a jarring incident, an Asian palm civet struggled to free itself from a precarious situation after its head got stuck inside a plastic jar. An occupant of the Agra Air Force station residential quarters was surprised to see the distressed animal outside the door of their house. Concerned for its well-being, the resident immediately informed Wildlife SOS. A two-member team swiftly reached the location, only to find the animal near a pot of plants outside the house. Exercising extreme caution, the rescuer carefully pulled out the jar and freed the animal. After assessing the animal for any injuries, the civet was transferred to a transit facility. The civet was kept under medical observation for 24 hours and was then released back into the wild. Baijuraj M V, Director, Conservation Projects, Wildlife SOS said: "Civets are common across Agra and can survive in a wide range of habitats. Due to its elongated appearance, it is often mistaken as a cat and hence referred to as a civet cat. This was an extremely sensitive case where the civet could have suffocated had timely assistance not reached the animal. Fortunately, our team reached on time and pulled out the jar." Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder and CEO, Wildlife SOS said: "Our Rapid Response Unit has rescued civets from different places in Agra. In the past, we rescued a civet from a shoe manufacturing unit in Sikandra, and a civet from the washroom of Agra airport. These incidents are examples of people acting out of compassion and empathy for wild animals residing in modified urban spaces." The Asian palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) is a long mongoose-like mammal. It is native to south and south-east Asia and this species is protected under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Civets play an important role in the ecosystem by controlling the rodent population and are prime contributors to the dispersal of seeds as they often feed on fruits, berries, and coffee beans. /IANS