Servals
BEHAVIOR

Servals (scientific name: Leptailurus serval) are primarily solitary, living most of their lives alone. They can be extremely aggressive if provoked and will often use their fast paw strike to attack. They will also hiss, growl, and even bark when they are angry. Servals have large ears that allow them to hear mice underground.

COLOR PATTERN
  • Yellow fur with dark spots
  • Black tipped tail
  • White spots on the backs of their ears – a trait that all spotted wild cats have, which helps them communicate with their young

WHERE WE LIVE

Servals live in the savanna of Africa, among the tall grasses, always near a source of water. There have been a few melanistic (all black) servals seen in mountain areas or higher elevations.

WEIGHT
Serval 20-40 pounds

 

House Cat       12 pounds
LENGTH
Serval 23-39 inches long

 

A Man’s Stride
36 inches long
Bonus
Serval
A serval’s paw strike is faster than a cobra strike – 1/60 of a second

 

Cobra
A cobra can strike in 1/10 of a second
WHAT WE EAT

OBLIGATE CARNIVORE

  • Snakes
  • Rodents
  • Rabbits
  • Birds

Servals are a keystone species because they help keep the rodent populations in check.

 

THREATS

  • Habitat Loss
    Servals are losing a lot of their habitat to farming and urbanization.
  • Fur Trade
    Servals are killed for their pelt (skin and fur) and it is sold as cheetah pelt.
  • Retaliatory Killings
    Farmers will kill servals if they think they have taken their livestock.
  • Considered: Least Concern
Did you know…

A Serval’s Paw Strike is
1/60
of a Second!
Did you know…

A Serval eats up to
4,000
rodents in a single year!
Did you know…

Servals have a 
50%
hunting success rate!