Leptailurus serval

Though not as prominent in folklore as lions or leopards, servals are occasionally referred to as "tiger cats" in some African regions and feature in local stories highlighting their agility and stealth. In modern times, servals have gained attention through the exotic pet trade and as the wild parent of the "savannah cat" hybrid, sparking debates about conservation and ethical ownership. Their elegant form and striking coat patterns have also inspired artists and designers.

• Servals have the longest legs relative to body size of any cat species.
• They can leap up to 3 meters straight into the air to catch prey.
• Their large, rounded ears provide exceptional hearing, even detecting rodents underground.
• Servals are capable swimmers and occasionally hunt in wetlands.
• Despite their wide range, servals avoid dense forests and arid deserts, preferring grasslands and marshes.

Servals are widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal and Ethiopia in the north to South Africa in the south. Their historical and current range encompasses most regions with suitable grassland, wetland, or savanna habitats, though they are absent from dense forests and true deserts.

Servals thrive in savannas, wetlands, and grasslands characterized by tall vegetation and abundant water sources. They avoid dense forests and arid deserts, relying on open landscapes for hunting and shelter. As mesopredators, servals play a crucial role in controlling populations of small mammals, birds, and reptiles, contributing to ecosystem balance and biodiversity.

The serval is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List, reflecting its broad distribution and stable population trends. However, local declines are noted where habitat loss and fragmentation occur, and ongoing monitoring is essential to ensure long-term stability.

Major threats to servals include habitat destruction due to agriculture and urban expansion, persecution by humans, and illegal capture for the exotic pet trade. In some regions, servals face local declines as wetlands and grasslands are converted or degraded, reducing available habitat and prey.

Servals are equipped with long legs and elongated toes for traversing soft, marshy ground, and semi-retractable claws for agile movement. Their large ears are highly sensitive, enabling them to detect prey even underground. The serval’s spotted coat provides effective camouflage in tall grasses, and their powerful leaping ability allows them to ambush prey with remarkable precision.

Female servals give birth to litters of 1–4 kittens after a gestation period of 66–77 days. Kittens are born in concealed nests within tall grass or dense vegetation and remain hidden for several weeks. Maternal care is intensive, with mothers providing food and protection until the young are old enough to accompany her on hunts. Servals reach maturity at around one to two years of age, after which they establish their own territories.

• Leptailurus serval serval – Southern Africa
• Leptailurus serval lipostictus – East Africa
• Leptailurus serval constantinus – North Africa

While up to 18 subspecies have been proposed historically, recent genetic studies suggest only a few are valid, and boundaries remain under scientific review.

Genetic research places the serval firmly within the Felinae subfamily, closely related to the caracal and African golden cat. Mitochondrial DNA and nuclear genome data confirm low genetic divergence among populations, supporting limited subspecies differentiation. Hybridization is rare in the wild but has occurred in captivity, notably resulting in the "savannah cat" hybrid. Ongoing genetic studies continue to refine understanding of serval diversity and evolutionary relationships.