Mammals · Carnivora · Felidae

Serval

Leptailurus serval

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It can leap 3 metres into the air to snatch birds in flight, thanks to having the longest legs relative to its body of any cat in the world. Its huge oval ears pick up rodents moving beneath thick grass.

Weight

7 kg – 18 kg

Size

96 cm – 1.2 m

Lifespan

11 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaCarnivore Nocturnal Solitary Feline Savanna Mammal

46countries 11parks39same family

Fun facts

It has the longest legs relative to its body of any cat in the world.
It can leap 3 metres into the air to snatch birds in flight.
Its huge ears pick up rodents moving beneath thick grass without ever seeing them.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Wet savanna, tall grassland and reedbeds of sub-Saharan Africa, with small populations in the Moroccan Atlas
Birth weight: 250 - 263 grams
Size at birth: Blind and with a woolly grey coat at birth
Sexual maturity: 18-24 months
Gestation / incubation: 66-77 days
Litter / clutch size: 1 to 5 young per litter (most commonly 2-3)
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of 22.4 years in captivity