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Our guide was very excited, and said we were very lucky to see this.
origfilename:01-105-serval-closer
Name: Malawi
Serval: Male
Leptailurus serval
D.O.B:29th May 2005
Weight: Approx 15 Kg
A serval is a medium sized African cat measuring approx 85 cm in length plus a 40 cm tail. They are slender with long legs (the longest of all cats relative to body size) tall oval ears set close together with a varied fur pattern on the back of the ears. The long legs and neck allow the serval to see over tall grasses, while its ears are used to detect rodents, even those burrowing under ground. While hunting the serval will pause for up to 15 mins at a time to listen with eyes closed. The serval pounce is a distinctive “hop” which may be an adaptation for catching flushed birds and they can jump almost 10 feet off the ground. Their life expectancy is about 12 years in the wild and up to 20 years in captivity.
This Serval interupted our BQQ!
This was taken in the Kruger National Park near Mopani, South Africa.
Servals are spotted cats with long legs and a long neck that allows them to see above long grass. They are classed as ‘small cats’.
Servals are found in grasslands and around wetlands across central Africa.
They usually live alone in the wild, coming together to breed and they usually have a litter of two kittens.
Conservation status = Rare
West, Central and East Coast. Areas with long grass or reeds, particularly near water.The main danger to Servals is from people destroying their habitat. They are also sometimes hunted. Servals use their excellent hearing to find their prey in long grass. They then leapup to 4m along and 1m vertically to catch them. They can also jump straight up in the air to catch birds.