Serval kitten being hand-reared at FreeMe

This adorable serval kitten is one of the latest admissions at FreeMe Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Howick.

The kitten was found by a farmer mowing the lawn near her den in the Dargle area. Fortunately, the kitten was not harmed by the tractor and appeared to be a healthy one month old, weighing just over one kilogram.

With no parents in sight, the decision was made to bring her to FreeMe, where she will be handraised and then released back into the wild.

On admission, the kitten appeared to be physically healthy, although a little disorientated.

She was offered milk and suckled her first bottle eagerly. Her stress soon subsided as she settled into her enclosure that is specifically created to simulate her natural environment.

“At this age, serval kittens already have their teeth pushing out. She was offered a small piece of soft meat, which she found to be quite tasty. Since then she has been munching on the meats offered to her,” FreeMe shared on their Facebook page.

FreeMe believes strongly in keeping wildlife wild, and this extends to their approach to hand-rearing animals such as this kitten.

“The ability to put our emotions into neutral gear and take the animals’ best interests into account is key to our success. All too often, people cannot resist the urge to cuddle and play with baby animals, this is not in their best interests and here is where FreeMe Wildlife differs from other set-ups. We keep them wild with minimal habituation to humans so they can be released back into their natural habitat.”