Serval

Hi! I’m a Serval

Built for height rather than speed, the serval is a tall, slender cat with the longest legs relative to body size of any cat species. When hunting, the Serval uses its huge ears and height to detect sounds of prey. Once it has detected its prey, typically small rodents, it jumps up to three metres into the air to strike down with its forepaws. Servals are also experts at catching birds and insects in flight. Servals have even been known to venture into waterways to catch live fish.

The National Zoo is home to 3 Servals; Ashaki, Meiko, Zuri

Serval Facts

Taxonomy

Leptailurus serval

Population Movement

Stable

Current Animals

Ashaki, Meiko, Zuri

Life Span (captive)

Median life expectancy of 14 years

Weight

9-18kg

Reproduction

Male servals will reach sexual maturity at 17 months old, females at 15 months old. Females are not seasonal breeders and will enter into estrus for 1-4 days multiple times a year. While they can give birth twice a year, they most often only have 1 litter with litter size being 2-3 kittens.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Group Count

3

Life Span (wild)

12-17 years

Size

59-92 cm

Gestation

74 days

Distribution

Wide distribution, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa; small, isolated populations north of Sahara