Nala's Story

When Nala’s owner’s health failed, his son contacted an accredited Florida sanctuary to rehome the three-year-old African Serval. The Florida team agreed to rehome the young serval under contract conditions stipulating that the family would no longer own exotic animals as pets and that the serval’s veterinarian complete an up-to-date health certificate. To take the young serval in, a current health certificate was vital for the Florida facility to apply for an import permit through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Due to Nala’s aggressive nature, she could not be handled, but the veterinarian confirmed that Nala was not current with her vaccinations and had been declawed as a kitten. Nala arrived at the Florida facility in January 2013.

In early 2023, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (TCWR) agreed to take 33 wild cats from the Florida sanctuary accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS). One of those cats was Nala. Now living at Freedom Field, Nala enjoys spending time on her terms. Her vocalizations range from soft mews when the Refuge is quiet to a hiss when she feels threatened. Nala tends to keep to herself, enjoying the luxuries of her habitat independently. However, she enjoys watching her other serval neighbors and the Animal Care Staff as they walk by. During the day, she prefers to lounge in the grass underneath her hammock bench or in cool, shaded areas.