The African Serval
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| Photo of Serval zeek courtesty of kim at savannah catlands.. Thank you Kim |
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African Serval Cat
The Serval (Leptailurus serval, sometimes Felis serval) is a medium-sized African
wild cat: length 85 cm, plus 40 cm tail. It has long legs and a slender head; the ears
are broad and long. The pattern of the fur is variable: while most Servals bear
leopard-like spots, some have no markings except for a spot above the eye and the
rings around the tail. In addition entirely black servals are known to exist (see
black panther).
This cat is quite common in Africa. Its main habitat is the savanna. Servals need
watercourses within their territory, so they do not live in semi-deserts or dry
steppes. They are able to climb and swim, but they seldom do so.
The serval preys on rodents, hares, hyraxes, and birds.
The litter consists of two or three young. They are raised in sheltered locations like
abandoned aardvark burrows. If such an ideal location is not available, a place
behind a shrub may be sufficient.
Servals are sometimes preyed upon by leopards. More dangerous for this cat are
humans. Servals were extensively hunted for their fur. They are still common in
West and East Africa, but they are extinct in the South African Cape Province and
very rare north of the Sahara.
Though they are not domesticated animals, servals are sometimes kept as pets
(particularly in the United States). They may also be crossed with domestic cats to
produce a hybrid known as the SAVANNAH, which is kept as a pet.
Subspecies
Leptailurus serval serval, Cape Province (extinct)
Leptailurus serval beirae, Mozambique
Leptailurus serval brachyura, West Africa, Sahel, Ethiopia
Leptailurus serval constantina, Algeria (endangered)
Leptailurus serval hamiltoni, eastern Transvaal
Leptailurus serval hindeio, Tanzania
Leptailurus serval ingridi, Namibia, southern Botswana, Zimbabwe
Leptailurus serval kempi, Uganda
Leptailurus serval kivuensis, Congo
Leptailurus serval liposticta, northern Angola
Leptailurus serval lonnbergi, southern Angola
Leptailurus serval mababiensis, northern Botswana
Leptailurus serval robertsi, western Transvaal
Leptailurus serval togoensis, Togo, Benin
The Serval (Leptailurus serval, sometimes Felis serval) is a medium-sized African
wild cat: length 85 cm, plus 40 cm tail. It has long legs and a slender head; the ears
are broad and long. The pattern of the fur is variable: while most Servals bear
leopard-like spots, some have no markings except for a spot above the eye and the
rings around the tail. In addition entirely black servals are known to exist (see
black panther).
This cat is quite common in Africa. Its main habitat is the savanna. Servals need
watercourses within their territory, so they do not live in semi-deserts or dry
steppes. They are able to climb and swim, but they seldom do so.
The serval preys on rodents, hares, hyraxes, and birds.
The litter consists of two or three young. They are raised in sheltered locations like
abandoned aardvark burrows. If such an ideal location is not available, a place
behind a shrub may be sufficient.
Servals are sometimes preyed upon by leopards. More dangerous for this cat are
humans. Servals were extensively hunted for their fur. They are still common in
West and East Africa, but they are extinct in the South African Cape Province and
very rare north of the Sahara.
Though they are not domesticated animals, servals are sometimes kept as pets
(particularly in the United States). They may also be crossed with domestic cats to
produce a hybrid known as the SAVANNAH, which is kept as a pet.
Subspecies
Leptailurus serval serval, Cape Province (extinct)
Leptailurus serval beirae, Mozambique
Leptailurus serval brachyura, West Africa, Sahel, Ethiopia
Leptailurus serval constantina, Algeria (endangered)
Leptailurus serval hamiltoni, eastern Transvaal
Leptailurus serval hindeio, Tanzania
Leptailurus serval ingridi, Namibia, southern Botswana, Zimbabwe
Leptailurus serval kempi, Uganda
Leptailurus serval kivuensis, Congo
Leptailurus serval liposticta, northern Angola
Leptailurus serval lonnbergi, southern Angola
Leptailurus serval mababiensis, northern Botswana
Leptailurus serval robertsi, western Transvaal
Leptailurus serval togoensis, Togo, Benin
