Exotic African wild cat causes stir on North Carolina beach

EMERALD ISLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- At the beach, you might expect to hear about a shark bite, rip currents or even an alligator.

But it's safe to say an encounter with an exotic African cat wasn't on most North Carolina beachgoers' bingo cards.

But that's what happened in Carteret County where, fortunately, this big cat, a serval, had an owner -- and a leash.

Mia Swift brought her serval, to Emerald Isle Beach. As ABC affiliate WCTI put it, "This sparked curiosity among the Emerald Isle community, leading to numerous reactions on social media."

WCTI spoke to Swift to find out what the deal was.

Swift said she occasionally takes her wild cat, named Kenai, to the beach during off-peak hours. She added that she does advise curious onlookers to maintain a safe distance.