Renee Bunn0 Period Biology

4/28/11

Name + Classification

• The leptailurus serval was formerly classified as “felis serval”

• Its scientific name is also its common name: leptailurus serval

• It is a member of the Felidae family

Physical Description

• Traits:• Slender• Long• Small head• Copper hue• Black markings• Relatively small head• Large ears

Geographical Range• Predominately found in

South Africa, especially Zimbabwe

• There are many servals in the province of Natal

• Small populations exist in the Atlas Mountains

• Some have been found in Algeria, Morocco, Ethiopia, & South of the Sahara

• Due to relocation efforts, members of this species can now be found in northern Tanzania

HabitatLeptailurus servals are typically found in reed beds and grasslands, in rather dry climates. They also spend time in forest brush, bamboo thickets, marshes, & streams.

Food Habits

• 93.5% small mammals (rats, mice, & shrews)

• 5% birds

• Remaining % is occasionally lizards, frogs, & insects

Human Interactions

• African servals have become accustomed to people and motor vehicles due to tourism, farming, and relocation. Servals prey on rare occasions on dogs and livestock (poultry).

• African servals are part of the exotic pet trade. One domestic cat breed, savannah, is a mix between tabbys and servals. The pelt of servals is valuable and used to make mantles worn by chiefs in native tribes. Servals may also encourage ecotourism, which is common in Tanzania where most servals reside.

Life Span

• Estimated to be approximately 10 years in the wild

• The longest leptailurus serval lifespan recorded was about 23 years

Canniff, T. 2011. "Leptailurus serval" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 29, 2011 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Leptailurus_serval.html.

Cat Specialist Group 2002. In IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCNRedList.org. Downloaded July 19, 2008.

Tree of Life Web Project. 2008. Leptailurus serval. Serval. Version 26 September 2008 (temporary). http://tolweb.org/Leptailurus_serval/123547/2008.09.26 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org

• http://www.terrambiente.org/fauna/Mammiferi/carnivora/felidae/images/leptailurus_serval.jpg

• http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/Serval_portrait.jpg/180px-Serval_portrait.jpg

• http://tolweb.org/tree/ToLimages/2745332234_4b00f6258c.300a.jpg

• http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Shared_ASP_Files/UploadedFiles/%7B9211FB36-3F54-4C52-B5FD-A1AE769E7266%7D_SouthAfrica.gif

• http://i.ehow.co.uk/images/a06/17/ri/plants-used-clothes-grasslands-1.1-800X800.jpg

• http://ecommons.med.harvard.edu/ec_res/nt/4EA1B91A-D843-467F-AFF4-5694834986C6/three_mice.jpg

• http://www.scooponpets.com/Images/LizardMain.jpg

• http://georginadp6.weebly.com/uploads/4/3/8/0/4380429/9844137_orig.jpg

• http://www.jameshagerphoto.com/photos/z_news/z07-06_10.jpg

• http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/resources/Grzimek_mammals/Felidae/Leptailurus_serval.jpg/view.html

• http://www.hdw-inc.com/servalbody.jpg