Serval
Leptailurus serval
CLASS: Mammalia
ORDER: Carnivora
FAMILY: Felidae
SIZE:
Body 32 inches, tail 16 inches; 21 inches at shoulder
RANGE:
Africa south of the Sahara
HABITAT:
Open forests to savannahs
DIET:
Wild - Small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects
Zoo - Feline diet
DESCRIPTION:
Slender, long-legged cat with a short tail. Yellowish or reddish with black spots that may blend into stripes along the neck and black. Large oval ears with a distinct white spot on back. Swift, graceful runners and good climbers.
FACTS:
Longest legs of all the cats relative to its size, letting them see over tall grass.
Solitary.
Can purr.
Servals are hunted for their skins and to be sold as pets.
YOUNG:
2-4 young
STATUS:
Not threatened; CITES App. II; declining due to hunting pressure (as a pest and for fur).
REFERENCES:
Grzimek's Animal Encyclopedia, Vol. 13 Mammals IV
The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals, Jonathan Kingdon
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