Servals
Servals
Serval (Leptailurus serval): Servals are native to a wide area throughout Africa. The serval is high-legged and lightly built and is easily recognized by its very large, oval ears. Servals have a typical shoulder height of 40 to 65
cm, a body length of 70 to 95 cm and a tail from 36 to 45 cm in length. The coat is pale yellowish buff to reddish yellow, with black markings consisting either of large spots that tend to merge into longitudinal stripes on the neck and back, or of nume
rous small spots which give it a speckled appearance. The ears are black with very distinct white eye-marks in the back. Melanistic servals (completely black, like panthers) are not uncommon in some
areas.
The serval is very agile and pliable. It runs in a series of elastic bounds, which lift the serval's slim, pliable body off high above the grass. It strikes it prey in a similar manner. They use their ultra-keen hearing as much as their sight when hunt
ing and have been known to listen for some prey outside their den and pull them out with their long, thin forelegs and paws. Similarly to caracals, they are also proficient bird catchers, snaring them in bounding leaps several me
ters into the air.
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