Fact: Servals can jump three metres into the air to catch birds. The serval (Leptailurus serval) is a wild cat native to Africa. The females territory covers about 9.5km2 (3.7sq mi) of land. Habitat loss is one of the treats the serval is facing. Servals are characterised by their long legs, distinctive markings, large ears and short tail. When standing on its hind legs, the serval can jump more than 2.7 meters to catch a flying bird! Conservation Status and Threats. They eat birds, reptiles, frogs, crabs and large insects. Another type of leap is vertical: birds and insects are seized from the air by "clapping" the front paws together or striking with a downward blow. The serval maintains a territory which it marks with its scent. Servals are usually solitary but may hunt together, while the females with kittens will be seen together. These wonders of evolution have extremely powerful hind legs, and they can jump approximately 4 meters into the air to catch birds. It is slender and long-legged with hind legs longer than front legs. They can jump up to 10 feet to catch birds in flight. It is rare in North Africa and the Sahel, but widespread in sub-Saharan countries except rainforest regions. While serval populations have declined in the wild, only one subspecies, the North African serval, is considered Endangered. Range: Africa from south of the Sahara to Southern Africa. Those big ears help give servals remarkable hearing. Habitat: Dry open grasslands, wooded savannas, and moist areas around rainforests. Threats: Hunted for their coats and for meat and habitat loss. It can jump vertically to 2-3 meters, to catch a bird. Ancient Egyptians used to worship servals for their grace and their power. The serval is one of seven species of small to medium-sized African cats. It was first described by von Schreber in 1776. It will also use its long legs to reach into the burrow of a rodent. And those long limbs give servals the ability to leap nine feet—straight up—to catch birds in midair, or reach deep into a rodent burrow to pull out prey. Some can kill as many as 12 pigeons in one attack. Servals have a varied diet. Habitats which the serval live in are always near to a watercourse. In India it is a sport to release a caracal among a flock of pigeons to see how many birds it can capture. The serval has an IUCN conservation status of “Least Concern” because it is relatively widespread through sub-Saharan Africa. ... the long-legged wild cats are known to jump upward of 15 feet in the air, and are capable of catching birds in flight. The serval is an adept hunter and clever at stalking its prey. But small rodents are its most common prey, and cats don't hesitate to reach deep into their hideouts to get their prey out of them. Like a caracal a Serval can also jump into the air to catch a bird and can jump up 2.7m straight up. In northern Africa, however, the serval meets the IUCN Red List criteria for Endangered. They can also reach deep down into water to capture frogs. Leopards are successful in 38% cases, lions – in 30%. This characteristic hunting technique enables the serval to catch some species that … Across its range, it occurs in protected areas, and hunting it is either prohibited or regulated in range countries. They can pounce a distance of 4m and have been recorded jumping 1.5m to catch birds. They can be found throughout savannas, mountains, reed patches and occasionally into thick forests. The serval is an effective killer; it hunts with 50% effectiveness. Adult animals will jump up to 3 m high from standstill. Air Serval Watch the African cat jump really, really high. On the IUCN Red List it is listed as Least Concern. They have the ability to jump up to three metres into the air to catch birds in flight. 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