The Carnivores of africa
Serval
Leptailurus servalA beautiful cat with yellowy-brown body with black markings of spots, splotches and bars and a black-tipped tail.
Distribution
widespread through the savannas of Africa, from north to south.
Social structure
Single but sometime seen in pairs or small family groups. Males and females are territorial, marking their territories by spraying urine on grass and bushes.
Range differentiation
Variation in prey species and slight colour variations across range.
Habitat
The savannas of Africa where there is plenty of water.
Feeding
Great variety of prey, including birds, snakes, lizards, frogs and insects. Although recorded they seldom take carrion.
Breeding
Kittens are born after a 2 ½ month gestation period. The mother raises them alone and due to this she has to do a great deal of hunting so they are well hidden.
The serval's markings provide great camouflage on the savannas.
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The serval's markings provide great camouflage on the savannas.
Serval hunt on the ground and incidents of them climbing trees are unusual but I have observed an individual high up in tree, seemingly ‘just sitting there’. I watched it for more than an hour and it barely moved in that time except to look at me. I could not determine whether it had been chased up the tree or was there for some other reason.
A serval in a tree is an unusual sighting.
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A serval in a tree is an unusual sighting.
