Servalサーバル

Species Data

Classification

Carnivora / Felidae Source

Distribution

Found across sub-Saharan Africa in grasslands, wetlands, and bamboo thickets. In North Africa it persists only in Morocco and in a reintroduced population in Tunisia. Source

Did You Know?

• Relative to its body size, the serval has exceptionally long legs, allowing vertical leaps of over 2 meters and horizontal jumps of up to 3.6 meters—sometimes used to snatch birds out of the air. Source
• The serval's large, closely set ears can rotate up to 180 degrees independently, giving it exceptional hearing to pinpoint prey hidden in tall grass. Source
• Servals succeed in roughly half of their hunting attempts, with mothers achieving success rates as high as 62% and averaging 15–16 kills a day, among the highest hunting success rates recorded for any cat. Source

FAQ

How high can a serval jump?

A serval can leap more than 2 meters vertically and up to 3.6 meters horizontally, using its exceptionally long legs to pounce on prey or even snatch birds out of the air. Source

Why does the serval have such large ears?

Its large, independently rotating ears—which can turn up to 180 degrees—give it exceptional hearing, allowing it to precisely locate rodents and other prey hidden in tall grass. Source

How successful are servals at hunting?

Servals succeed in about half of their hunting attempts, with mothers reaching success rates of 62% and averaging 15–16 kills per day, among the highest hunting success rates of any cat species. Source