Almost two weeks after being spotted on the outskirts of Sloukia forest (Cap Spartel) near Tangier, the long-lost serval was found on Wednesday. The endangered feline, legally domesticated by a resident of Jbel Kbir, returned home on Wednesday. According to Alyaoum24, the owner had promised a reward of 10,000 Dhs to the person who could find his pet. The same source confirms that the cat was brought to Morocco legally with the required permits and has a medical file. After the serval was filmed by internet users near the forest, the Agence Nationale des Eaux et Forêts (ANEF) launched a combing operation throughout the region, in cooperation with local authorities and the Royal Gendarmerie. It also appealed to local residents not to harm the feline. In an announcement made at the time, the Agency pointed out that as part of the conservation of endangered species under the «Forêts du Maroc 2020-2030» strategy, several programs are being implemented to preserve these species and their habitats, or to reintroduce some extinct ones into their areas of origin. These include the conservation of the serval, notably by reintroducing it into its natural habitat in the Ifrane National Park. In Morocco, the serval can be found in several regions, from Guelmim to Oued Drâa, and from Aït Ouabelli in the east to Oued noun/Assaka on the edge of the Western Atlas Mountains in the north. In the Middle Atlas, it can be found in the region from Ifrane to Ouaouizeght, with two recent sightings documented in 2013 and 2014. ANEF assures the public that the serval's impact on local populations and the environment is generally limited due to its small size and diet of primarily small prey, such as rodents.
