Story By: Feza Uzay, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency:  Newsflash

An illegally-smuggled wild African Savannah cat has been seized from a man in Turkey who most likely planned to sell it on for profit.

The animal was confiscated from a residence in the district of Sapanca in the Turkish province of Sakarya a few days ago.

According to local media, anti-smuggling and organised-crime teams conducted a search of the property of a man identified by his initials T.T. after receiving a tip-off.

Upon inspection, the Savannah cat was found and immediately taken away.

The Savannah cat is the largest of the cat breeds, and is a cross between a serval and a domestic cat.

After a visit to a veterinary clinic where it was determined that the feline was in good health, it was then transferred to its new habitat at Faruk Yalcin Zoo and Botanic Park in the district of Darcia.

According to the police, the wild cat was illegally smuggled into the country and had it not been seized it would probably have been sold on for profit.

The price of a wild African Savannah cat ranges from TRY 70,000 to TRY 150,000 (GBP 6,700 to 14,300).

While the suspect, who kept the cat in his house, was released after giving a statement to the police, an investigation has been opened against him.

There are currently four generations of Savannah cat named F1 to F4, each made up of different gene variations.

In the UK, it is illegal to own a Savannah cat belonging to the first F1 generation unless the owner manages to get a Dangerous Wild Animal Licence, which is very hard to obtain for most people.

Cats from the newer generations from F2 to F4 are currently legal to own in the UK.

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