Description: Slender build with long-legs (the longest of any cat) and a small head on a rather long neck. The ears are large, oval and vertical. Coat: Orange-brown with black spots (Which are variable). The eyes are yellowish and the pupils contract to spindle. Unlike most other small cats, who have pink noses, the serval has a black nose.
Size: Head and body length 70-100cm, tail length 35-45cm.
Weight: 3.5-19 kg.
Senses: They climb well. Sight and hearing very good, scent moderate.
Habitat: Savanna, normally near water. Common in wetlands and on the edges of swamps or lakes.
Range: 1.5-3 sq km is held by each individual. They mark their home range by urinating on bushes after capturing prey, or after meeting another serval. They also yowl to mark their occupancy. Encounters are usually peacful and females wander freely on neighbouring males ranges. Parts of the large area that they hunt within may be shared with other servals of either sex.
They may wander up to 6km during a night (or day) where prey is scarce, usually though they only travel about 2km each outing.
Distribution: Africa.
Status: They tend to adapt well to living close to humans and will quickly learn to make the most of captive birds. Servals have declined in the wild due to hunting, humans kill them for their pelts and also because they take domestic animals.
Daily Rhythm: Time of activity depnends heavily on the local rodent population. If the prey are active by day then they will become active during the day, but if the prey is active at night (such as Otomys abd Dasymys rats) then the cats become active at dusk and through the night.
Voice: They use a high-pitched repeated cry to call partner. They snarl, bark, growl and spit when angered and pur when content.
Enemies: Other larger carnivores and same size carnivores. If disturbed by such a predator they will dash away and then crouch and hide as they are not built for speed.
Prey: Birds (nestlings when available), rodents, lizards, amphibians, insects, fish and small ungulates. May also take fruits.
Food and Feeding: They hunt on the ground mostly but will climb trees in search of birds sometimes. They will not hunt in strong winds. They characteristically play with their prey before eating it, such play usually turns into methodical plucking.
When hunting they stalk through long grass, pinning down their prey by using their large ears to detect their movements. Most prey is killed by a powerful downward strike after a high leap. They may use their sharp, curved claws to drag prey from holes and hollows.
They may cache parts of larger prey and return to it later, such caches are burried.
Grouping: They are solitary and form pairs only during the courtship period.
Breeding: Females advertise their oestrus with loud, yowling calls and squirts of urine. Females come into heat for just one day each oestrus.
Gestation: 67-77 days.
Litter Size: 1-4 young per litter.
Young Description: The kittens weigh 250g at birth. They open their eyes at 9-12 days.
Nest: The young are born in an old den or burrow of another species and the female adapts the den to her needs.
Young Care: The young take their first solid food at about 4-5 weeks and suckle for up to 6 months. They become independent at about 1 year and male offspring are then driven away. Females may be tollerated for longer.
Sexual Maturity: 2 years.
Longevity: 13-20 years.

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