In itself, the serval is not life-threatening, but when cornered, the animal may still be ugly. Anyone who sees the serval is asked to call the animal ambulance or call the police and not try to catch the animal yourself. Every year, such felines escape more often in the Netherlands. They are usually caught again by the animal ambulance with a catch.
The Hilversum serval, which originates from Africa but can still legally be kept as a pet in the Netherlands, has been missing for almost a week now. Expert Peter de Haan of the AAP foundation explains: “Servals cannot tolerate the cold, so with these weather conditions the animal will have sought a warm place in a shed or under a shelter. Because this serval has not learned to hunt on its own, there is a chance that it will assault a chicken or rabbit in a garden.”
On March 29, the owner of a serval at the Geuzenweg in Hilversum reported that the animal had escaped.
Neighborhood apps are also called upon to keep an eye out for the animal. It is reportedly not the first time that the serval has run away. Residents near the Geuzenweg know that the cat has appeared on the other side of Hilversum before.