Serval
Leptailurus serval
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderCarnivora (Carnívors)
- FamilyFelidae (Felids)
- GenusLeptailurus (Servals)
- SpeciesLeptailurus serval (Serval)
The serval (Leptailurus serval) is a wild small cat native to Africa. It is widespread in sub-Saharan countries, where it inhabits grasslands, wetlands, moorlands and bamboo thickets. Across its range, it occurs in protected areas, and hunting it is either prohibited or regulated in range countries. It is the sole member of the genus Leptailurus. Three subspecies are recognised. The serval is a slender, medium-sized cat that stands 54–62 cm (21–24 in) tall at the shoulder and has a weight range of approximately 9–18 kg (20–40 lb). Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Garden Route National Park
Caracal
Caracal caracal
Leopard
Panthera pardus
Cheetah
Acinonyx jubatus
African Wildcat
Felis lybica
Afro-Australian Fur Seal
Arctocephalus pusillus
Cape Genet
Genetta tigrina
African Clawless Otter
Aonyx capensis
Cape Gray Mongoose
Galerella pulverulenta
Southern Elephant Seal
Mirounga leonina
Egyptian Mongoose
Herpestes ichneumon
Marsh Mongoose
Atilax paludinosus
Honey Badger
Mellivora capensis
📅 Monthly Probability
Fewer than 5 records of Serval at Garden Route National Park — not enough to chart months honestly.
☀️🌙 When They're Spotted
Active throughout day and night · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there