Rogers-Lowell Area News

Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge to Open New Serval Habitats with Ribbon Cutting June 12

Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (TCWR) invites the public to the grand opening of their new serval habitat on Wednesday, June 12, at 9:45 a.m. The refuge opens at 9 a.m. and guests are encouraged to arrive no later than 9:30 a.m.

Work on the project began this winter, almost immediately after the grand opening of TCWR’s updated bear habitats. The organization’s animal care and maintenance teams battled unpredictable weather and material delays while juggling their other daily duties required for the sanctuary to operate efficiently. In the coming weeks, they will be making a few finishing touches and doing a pre-introduction between the six animals that will reside in the habitat.

The enclosure spans 6,500 square feet. Much like tigers, servals are a species of water-loving felines, so TCWR has provided them with a pool for the summer. Because servals are native to Africa, they disfavor cold weather, so the enclosure comes equipped with a spacious heated building. The refuge also incorporated natural rock and wood features to fabricate benches for resting and hollows for privacy.

The habitat was constructed to be versatile for other use in the future. According to TCWR president, Tanya Smith, the habitat could safely and comfortably house multiple small cats, such as leopards or cougars, or a single large animal, such as a lion or a tiger.

“As we continue fighting the Exotic Pet Trade epidemic, we know that the phone could ring at any second with a call about an animal or multiple animals whose lives are on the line,” Smith stated. “We keep this in mind as we build habitats. Many years from now, the servals may be living in our ‘retirement community’ at Rescue Ridge, and this space will be needed for another animal.”

The creation of the serval habitat was made possible by the Roop family.

For more information about Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, including admission rates and standard tour times, visit their website: https://www.turpentinecreek.org/.