Two weeks ago, an exotic feline was observed along the street in Os outside Bergen. The animal turned out to be a serval, an African feline that is illegal to have in Norway. The woman who owned the serval did not want to register or hand in the animal, and the Norwegian Environment Agency reported the woman to the police. Now she is charged in the case. – It is a young woman who has been charged in the case. As of now, we have not succeeded in uncovering the serval’s whereabouts, says police attorney André Jacobsen. The woman has been charged with breaking several laws, including the Wildlife Act and the Natural Diversity Act. In general, this applies to the illegal importation and illegal domestication of animals. It was BT that first reported the charge. The serval was observed by several osingers on Thursday 23 June. Video: Steffen Ljosheim Suggests moving abroad to save the serval The Norwegian Food Safety Authority told news last week that culling will probably be the consequence of the illegal importation of the serval. The owner admits that she has committed an offence, but believes that the serval must not die because she did something wrong. She says she will do everything in her power to keep the serval. – I can move abroad with him, if that can be a solution, she said in an interview with Os and Fusaposten. Then she also said that the serval is called Niño, is two years old, and cost the owner 70,000 when she bought it. Facts about the serval The serval is a predatory species in the cat family. The feline is widespread in Africa, south of the Sahara. It occurs in savannahs, preferably near water. It has a slender body with long legs, a small head, a relatively long neck and large, rounded ears. The fur is orange-brown with a pattern of black spots. It has yellowish eyes with elongated pupils. The body length is 70–100 cm, the tail 35–40 cm and it weighs up to 20 kilos. Normally, the serval eats animals up to 200-300 grams. Source: Great Norwegian Lexicon and the Environment Agency Priority case The woman told TV 2 last Sunday that she and the serval have gone into hiding. Now the police are looking for her. – It is a matter we try to prioritize. In the first instance, an investigation is being carried out to find out where the serval is staying, says police attorney André Jacobsen. – Is this something the police spend a lot of resources on? – We use the resources that are necessary. I would like to emphasize that it is of course serious, especially considering that it is an animal that you must have public permission to have, says Jacobsen. The police say that it is rare for them to receive such cases, and that there is little risk for people with illegal pets to be discovered. – Then we will prioritize the cases we are aware of, he says.
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The owner of the serval in Os has been charged – news Vestland
