Overview

• The serval that fled its private enclosure in Neuschönningstedt on July 7 was tranquilized and returned to a secured pen after a resident’s sighting prompted authorities.
• Police, wildlife officers and local officials used live traps, drones and patrols during a four-day operation and repeatedly warned the public against approaching the cat.
• Since late June, the Landesamt für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Geologie has been tracking reports of a similar serval or Savannah cat around Schwaan without confirming its origin.
• Investigations revealed that private ownership of servals in Schleswig-Holstein requires a CITES permit, which was not held for the Reinbek enclosure.
• In response to recurring exotic-pet escapes, regulators plan to tighten permit enforcement and improve interagency coordination on exotic-animal incidents.