CHENNAI: The investigation into the exotic animal collection at an Erode farm, owned by S K Keshavanathan, who supplied Lar Gibbons to Chennai businessman C K Ranganathan, has taken a dramatic turn, with forest officials finding seven African serval cats, including three cubs, during an inspection of the premises.
The discovery of the cats, a species native to sub Saharan Africa, has deepened the Forest Department's probe into the source, ownership and possible movement of exotic wildlife at the facility.
Officials said the seven animals comprise four adults and three newborn cubs. The sex of the animals was yet to be ascertained as officials were continuing to gather more information.
“We found four adult Serval cats and three newborns. We could see one large adult, almost the size of a leopard, and the three cubs during the inspection. The other adults were inside the enclosures,” two sources in the Forest Department and Tamil Nadu Wildlife Crime Control Bureau told TNIE.
According to officials, the breeder told them that one of the servals had come from Hyderabad and three from Kerala. The department has sought the relevant documents to establish the source and chain of ownership of the animals.
The serval (Leptailurus serval) is a medium sized wild cat native to sub Saharan Africa. It has an unusual build, with long, slender legs, a compact head and exceptionally large ears adapted to detect prey in tall grass.
Adults can weigh around 20 to 40 pounds and stand nearly two feet at the shoulder. Their golden yellow coat is marked with black spots and stripes, which can make them resemble young cheetahs.
The discovery is particularly significant from a wildlife trade perspective. Serval is listed in CITES Appendix II, meaning international trade in the species is subject to regulation.
The species is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, but that does not mean its international trade is unregulated. CITES places controls on international trade to ensure that utilisation does not threaten the species.
Forest officials said the cats were being maintained in large enclosures on either side of a central structure at the farm. The inspection team is now examining whether the animals were acquired through documented legal channels and whether the required records exist for their import, transfer and possession.
Officials also suspect that the facility may have been involved in breeding and movement of exotic animals, making the presence of three serval cubs a crucial line of investigation.
“Documents relating to the servals have been sought. We are verifying the source and the transactions. The inspection is still continuing,” the official said.