Rescued Serval Joins Wildlife Sanctuary at The Children's Museum
African cat, to be named for local Veterinarian,
was seized from drug dealers in New York
West Hartford, CONN., January 24, 2011—In 2007, a passerby in an upstate New York neighborhood called police to alert them to "something wild that threw itself against and cracked a window" in a deserted home. A local animal nuisance control company was called in, and found that an African Serval had been abandoned in the home. The Serval was surviving in deplorable living conditions. It was apparent that its previous owners occasionally tossed food into the house, but had otherwise abandoned both the animal and the house. Upon medical examination, the Serval was found to have Styrofoam in its stomach, evidently subsisting partly on furniture due to the lack of food.
Today, after spending the past three years with a wildlife "foster home," that Serval joins the more than 100 rescued and injured animals residing in the United Technologies Wildlife Sanctuary at The Children's Museum in West Hartford. "Animals like these end up being more than people can handle," according to Cindy King, Director of the Wildlife Sanctuary. "They can become expensive and aggressive. Zoos and nature centers are often too full to take these kinds of animals. We were delighted to be asked to take the Serval at a time when we have a place for him." At the time of its owners' arrest on drug charges in 2002, it was legal to own Servals in New York (the law changed in 2005). The Serval was returned to its owners upon completion of their prison terms. It was rescued when it was discovered alone in the house in 2007.
The happy ending for this 13 year old animal continues. In addition to enjoying the rest of his days in a specially built enclosure with a heated indoor section, he is being named Chace, in honor of Farmington veterinarian Dr. Paul Chace, DVM. Dr. Chace's practice, Advanced Veterinary Care, provides all of the routine and emergency care for the animals at the Wildlife Sanctuary. "Dr. Chace has been such an asset to the Sanctuary, we thought naming our newest resident after him would be a nice way to thank him," said King.
Chace the Serval has lived outdoors in the Northeast for the past three years, so will be comfortable in his indoor/outdoor enclosure. He will be fed a USDA approved diet of raw meat and once settled in, will participate in enrichment activities including regular exercise and interaction with Sanctuary staff, to prevent stress and boredom. He will join two other wild cats that live at the Wildlife Sanctuary: Rufus, a Bobcat, and Little Foot, a Canadian Lynx. The cats' outdoor enclosures will be adjacent to one another.
About Servals
The Serval is one of seven species of small to medium-sized African cats. It has a slender build with long legs. Its back legs are longer than its front legs. It has a small head, large erect rounded ears and a long neck. Its coat is yellowish tan with black spots, bands and stripes. The tail has black rings and its underside is white or light tan. The pattern of every Serval's coat is different.
A Serval weighs between 29 and 41 pounds with its body length ranging from 27-39 inches with an added tail length of about 13-17 inches. The height at the shoulder is about 23 inches. Males are slightly larger than females. Servals are known as good climbers. Except for the shortness of the tail, there is a physical resemblance to the Cheetah.
Elusive and shy, Servals are for the most part nocturnal, hunting by sight and sound more than scent. This cat has a number of different vocalizations which include snarling, growling, spitting, purring and a high pitched cry used to call other Servals.
About The Children's Museum
The Children's Museum offers over 100 live animals, hands-on science exhibits, out-of-this-world digital planetarium shows, and programs for younger children and families. With more than 200,000 visitors annually, it is one of Connecticut's top museum attractions. The Children's Museum is located at 950 Trout Brook Drive in West Hartford and at Roaring Brook Nature Center in Canton. More information is available at www.TheChildrensMuseumCT.org.
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African Serval playing in a Lakeby climbergirl22446 views
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