Local Community Buries Sorrow After Serval Cat's Fatal Car Accident
A Lehigh County wildlife refuge is mourning the loss of an African serval cat that escaped last month and was fatally struck by a car on Monday night. The tragic event marks the end to a weeks-long search effort, which saw volunteers scour the countryside in hopes of recapturing the elusive feline.
The Cricket Wildlife Center had reported two other cats that broke free from their enclosure during the same storm that freed the serval were safely recaptured and returned home in November. However, the last remaining cat's whereabouts remained a mystery until Monday night when authorities confirmed its demise.
According to wildlife center staff, the three cats - all older and deemed non-threatening to humans or pets - managed to escape from their enclosure on November 5th after a fierce windstorm brought down a tree. The serval that escaped further away was spotted by locals hunting mice and rats around farms and reportedly eating pet food left outside.
Tragically, the tracking device attached to its collar had fallen off, making it difficult for authorities to locate the cat. Despite numerous sightings reported by over 100 people and dozens of searches conducted in the surrounding area, the serval was ultimately killed by a car somewhere in Berks County on Monday night.
Wildlife center officials have expressed gratitude to the community for their efforts in tracking down the missing cat, stating that while this is not the outcome they had hoped for, it's comforting to know two of the cats are now home and safe.
A Lehigh County wildlife refuge is mourning the loss of an African serval cat that escaped last month and was fatally struck by a car on Monday night. The tragic event marks the end to a weeks-long search effort, which saw volunteers scour the countryside in hopes of recapturing the elusive feline.
The Cricket Wildlife Center had reported two other cats that broke free from their enclosure during the same storm that freed the serval were safely recaptured and returned home in November. However, the last remaining cat's whereabouts remained a mystery until Monday night when authorities confirmed its demise.
According to wildlife center staff, the three cats - all older and deemed non-threatening to humans or pets - managed to escape from their enclosure on November 5th after a fierce windstorm brought down a tree. The serval that escaped further away was spotted by locals hunting mice and rats around farms and reportedly eating pet food left outside.
Tragically, the tracking device attached to its collar had fallen off, making it difficult for authorities to locate the cat. Despite numerous sightings reported by over 100 people and dozens of searches conducted in the surrounding area, the serval was ultimately killed by a car somewhere in Berks County on Monday night.
Wildlife center officials have expressed gratitude to the community for their efforts in tracking down the missing cat, stating that while this is not the outcome they had hoped for, it's comforting to know two of the cats are now home and safe.
... did u know that car accidents are a major threat to wildlife? 
according to a study by the National Wildlife Federation, there were over 1.3 million vehicle collisions with wildlife in the US alone in 2020, resulting in over 40,000 human fatalities and 2 million animal injuries... 
that's like crazy! 
anyway back to the serval cat - it's just so heartbreaking how it got stuck on a farm eating pet food 
, but idk why its tracking device fell off 
, maybe we can learn from this & make better tracking devices in the future? 
... can't believe what happened to that serval cat 
. I mean, i feel bad for the wildlife center & all, but like, can't a cat even survive on its own out there? 
. And now they're saying 2 of them are home safe tho, so i guess that's some good news 
? But still, it's crazy how easily that cat just slipped away & got killed by a car 
. I wonder what would've happened if the tracking device had stayed on... 
. It's like, you never know what might happen when these animals escape their enclosures. But I guess it just goes to show that even in bad situations, there are good people looking out for each other... and the wildlife too 
.
.
... can't believe those poor cats got out and no one was there to take care of them properly. i mean, wildlife centers should have better security systems in place so this doesn't happen again. anyway, glad 2 cats are back home safe & sound 
just can't believe those cute little feline faces got away from us 
it's like a big ol' cat-astrophe! but seriously though, gotta give props to the community for coming together & helping track down that serval 
100+ people reporting sightings? that's amazing!!! and yeah, 2 cats are safe back home, so at least that's somethin' 
anyway, RIP little serval, may you be the king of the wild where'er u go 
#catsoftheinternet #savethecats #wildliferefuge
R.I.P little guy! 
They're like little ninjas of the wild! 
. The community really came together to try and help, though - 100+ people reporting sightings? That's amazing 
! At least we know two of the cats are safe now 
. Can you imagine not knowing where your pets are at all times with those tracking devices they have to wear 
? Anyway, my condolences to the Cricket Wildlife Center and everyone affected 
its like they just wanted 2 be free & live in da wild but got hit by a car instead 
. I feel for the community that was searching for it, though - all those volunteers must have been super dedicated and worried sick about finding that poor thing 
for those poor serval kitties 
. I just wish they could've recaptured that serval and given it a second chance at life, you know? It's just heartbreaking to think about all those people searching for it only to find out it was gone forever 
. I'm so glad two of its friends made it back home safely though, that's definitely a silver lining 
. I feel like we should be doing more to prevent these kinds of accidents from happening in the future, like maybe having better fencing or something at wildlife refuges? Just a thought