Serval
Felis Leptailurus serval
WILD STATUS
Endangered
Endangered
DISTRIBUTION
African countries Southeast of the Sahara Desert. There is a remnant population in Northwest Africa.
SIZE
Weight from 9-18 kg (20-40 lbs). Height at shoulder 60 cm (23.5”)
HABITAT
Servals live in well-watered grassland and are confined to areas near water. They like open bush, sub-alpine and bamboo forest. They do not go into densely forested areas.
REPRODUCTION
1-5 kittens are born after 66-77 day gestation period.
DIET
Servals are highly specialized rodent catchers. Their large ears enable them to hear mice, rats, etc. moving about in the tall grass. They have also been known to eat frogs, lizards, hares, ground squirrels, and birds.
1-5 kittens are born after 66-77 day gestation period.
DIET
Servals are highly specialized rodent catchers. Their large ears enable them to hear mice, rats, etc. moving about in the tall grass. They have also been known to eat frogs, lizards, hares, ground squirrels, and birds.
INTERESTING TIDBITS
- The name “Serval” is derived from a Portuguese word meaning “wolf-deer”. That is easy to understand when you see these long legs, elongated neck and large ears on such a delicate animal. The hind legs are longer than the front ones.
- Proportionally, servals have the longest legs and largest ears in the cat family.
- During the heat of the daytime, they will rest in abandoned Aardvark burrows or under trees in the shade.
- Both sexes spray to mark their territory.
- Servals use their long toes to hook rodents from burrows. They wait near the entrance where small rodents such as mole rats live and when they hear them near the entrance, they hook the animal and fling it up into the air.
- Main predators of servals are leopards, dogs and humans. They are killed for their pelts, mostly for ceremonial purposes in their native countries, rather than for export.
- For survival of the serval, wetland conservation is the top issue. Secondary reason for their decline is degradation of grasslands through annual burning followed by overgrazing by cattle, goats, etc. Indiscriminate poisoning of rodent populations also poisons the carnivores which consume the rodents.
- About 13 adult servals are killed to make a fur coat.
HABITAT RANGE
ANIMAL FACT SHEET
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