Another African serval goes missing on Vancouver Island

Ophelia, the missing African serval, is shown. (ROAM/Facebook)

Another exotic cat has gone missing on Vancouver Island, according to volunteer pet search group ROAM.

Searchers are looking for Ophelia, a two-year-old African serval that was reported missing in the Sooke, B.C., area around 3 p.m. on Sunday.

ROAM says the exotic pet was lost in the 7700-block of West Coast Road and was last seen at 7708 Sooke Rd.

In a social media post, ROAM asked community members to call the organization if they see Ophelia, since servals tend to be shy and won't approach humans that aren't their owner.

Anyone who spots the serval is asked to call ROAM at 778-977-6265 or 778-977-6260.

RECENT ESCAPES

Sunday's missing cat marks the fourth serval to go missing on Vancouver Island over the past two months.

In early October, an African serval went missing from its home in Brentwood Bay, B.C.

Just days later, a pair of servals also went missing from their home in Qualicum Beach, B.C.

All three of the cats were eventually found, but not before one of the Qualicum Beach cats reportedly killed a domestic cat and several ducks.

After the three cats went missing in October, debate about owning African servals started emerging online.

Servals do not fall under B.C.'s controlled alien species regulations and can be owned in the province as pets, depending on local bylaws.

Their ownership is controversial, however, with the BC SPCA calling the animals unsuited to home life.

Meanwhile, owners have told CTV News that servals have been domesticated for generations and that they are no longer wild animals.