Kolkata, Aug 23 (IANS) The Border Security Force (BSF) has foiled an animal smuggling attempt along the India-Bangladesh border in Nadia district of West Bengal, an official said. An African Serval Cat was rescued and handed over to the forest department.

The Serval is a rare wild small cat native to Africa. It is widespread in sub-Saharan countries, where it inhabits grasslands, wetlands, moorlands and bamboo thickets. Across its range, it occurs in protected areas, and hunting it is either prohibited or regulated in range countries.

The Serval is a slender, medium-sized cat that stands 54–62 cm (21–24 in) tall at the shoulder and has a weight range of approximately 9–18 kg (20–40 lb). It is characterised by a small head, large ears, a golden-yellow to buff coat spotted and striped with black, and a short, black-tipped tail. The serval has the longest legs of any cat relative to its body size.

“In the early hours of Friday, troops of the 56 Bn BSF, deployed at Border Outpost Natna Forward, noticed a suspicious movement of 5–6 smugglers near the IBB. They were attempting to cross over from Bangladesh into Indian territory. Acting swiftly, the BSF jawans challenged them and rushed forward. On seeing the approaching BSF troops, the smugglers panicked and fled back towards Bangladesh, taking advantage of the dense vegetation,” a senior BSF official said.

“The troops immediately launched a thorough search of the area. During the search, a rare wild cat – suspected to be an African Serval Cat – was found alive inside the wooden crate. The rescued animal was taken into custody and handed over to the concerned forest department office for further action,” he added.

Cross-border animal trafficking has turned into a major cause for concern for Indian border guarding troops. Attempts are regularly made to smuggle exotic species across the international border. These include all kinds of animals and birds. Demand from private collectors promotes this illegal trade. The price of a Serval in the Indian market can go up to Rs 6,00,000.

The official commended the swift action by the troops that thwarted the smuggling attempt.

–IANS

jayanta/pgh