Serval - 'Samantha'

This is SAMANTHA, a Serval born in 2004. We call her "SAM." Sam came to us from a facility that closed. She is small and only weighs about 15 lbs. We are very pleased that Sam is here to become part our family.

Servals can weigh up to 40 pounds. Servals are found in Africa, south of the Sahara. They live in the open Savanna near wetlands on the edges of swamps and by the shores of lakes.

The Serval hunts rodents, lizards, and amphibians on the ground, but they can also climb trees to hunt birds. This cat has quite sophisticated hearing to assist it in pinpointing its small prey. Notice their large, round ears. Servals have uniquely long legs which serve to aid in prey detection, enabling the cat to see over tall grass for signs of movement. The Serval will leap vertically to pounce down directly onto its unsuspecting prey. Servals are also able to reach high speeds in a short run and are capable of jumping up to 10 feet off the ground to catch birds. As you look at the markings on Savannah, notice her circles and stripes. The serval is a unique cat because of its coat.