(Felis serval)
class Mammalia
phylum Chordata
subphylum Vertebrata
order Carnivora
family Felidae.
Shoulder height -
(54-62 cm (male) 54-62 cm (female)
Adult weight -10 - 18 kg (male) 8.7 - 12.5 kg (female)
Diet -The serval will feed on snakes, lizards, frogs, fish, and
insectsbirds, rats, mice, and other rodents found in tall grasses
Habitat: Savannas
Preditors- Wild Dog and Hyenas
Mating season - All year round
Gestation period -65 - 75 days
No of young - 1 5 per litter
Lifespan: Up to 20 years
Color Russet to tawny; Tends to have darker coloring in moister regions of Africa; stripes and spots on neck, shoulders, tail, and legs; black and white ears - The serval is much larger than the domestic cat. The tail is ringed with black, and the underparts of the body are white or light tan. Individual servals can be identified by their unique features-diverse patterns of spots and stripes, nicks or cuts in their ears, and variations in color.
It is long-legged, the hind legs longer than the front legs and it is able to jump high and to see over tall grasses that other species cannot.
The serval is considered a nocturnal and diurnal animal, but is most often seen being active during the day. The activity peaks are generally early in the morning and late in the day because the serval prefers cooler temperatures while searching for food. On average, a serval will travel up to 1.2 mi (2 km) in one day.
Servals are common on the savannas where there is plenty of water. They seem to prefer areas of bush, tall grass and dry reed beds near stream
It hunts by sight and sound more than scent. With its acute hearing, a serval can locate prey that is moving underground. If hunting prey above ground, the serval raises its head above the grass and listens for movement. Once a sound is located, the serval stealthily approaches, then leaps and pounces. It often plays with its catch before eating it. A serval has a territory of up to 5 square miles that it continually marks by spraying urine on grass and bushes along the borders. The marking alerts servals in overlapping territories to keep their distance. Servals eat a great variety of prey, including birds, snakes, lizards, frogs and insects, and are notorious poultry raiders. They are quite successful hunters, catching an average of 50 percent of all prey hunted; they seldom eat carrion.
Servals lead solitary lives and come together in pairs only for a few days when the female is in heat. Serval kittens, born in litters of two to four, are difficult to observe as the mother hides them well and frequently changes the hiding place. Because the female raises the litter alone, she has to hunt frequently to feed them. When the young are large enough to hunt, the mother drives the males out. Young females remain there somewhat longer, but when they become sexually mature they too leave to establish their own territories.
