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 Niokolo-Koba National Park
Lion
Panthera leo
Leopard
Panthera pardus
African Civet
Civettictis civetta
Banded Mongoose
Mungos mungo
West African Large-spotted Genet
Genetta pardina
Spotted Hyena
Crocuta crocuta
Egyptian Mongoose
Herpestes ichneumon
White-tailed Mongoose
Ichneumia albicauda
African Clawless Otter
Aonyx capensis
Honey Badger
Mellivora capensis
Gambian Mongoose
Mungos gambianus
📅 Monthly Probability
Fewer than 5 records of Serval at Niokolo-Koba 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