The Beast of Hong Kong Park
I don't know about you, but when I hear the word beast I conjure images of a massive, possibly dangerous animal.
When I first saw the term "Beast of Hong Kong Park" in the news I wondered if it referred to a human predator, because that park is not an untamed place where a large animal could hide.
Instead the title was given to a mysterious mammal that few people have seen in these parts, one just over a metre in length and with a "long bushy tail and pale greyish fur", according to a witness. I find the artist's conception of the "beast" laughable: note the angry eyes.
The animal was first spotted in Hong Kong Park in January. Someone though it might be a civet (the same animal blamed for the outbreak of SARS); the recent second sighting seems to confirm that identification.
The AFCD believes the "beast" (I'm using quotation marks because I just can't call it that with a straight face) to be a masked palm civet. The civet is an omnivore but mostly likes fruit; in other words, it's not about to haul some hapless soul admiring the dahlias into the bushes to devour him.
Given that in Asia civets often end up on the dinner table, it's no mystery that the "beast" is so rarely seen.
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