African Serval
Meet Mayhem, a resilient serval cat at Animal Tracks Sanctuary. Neglected in the past, Mayhem has overcome adversity to thrive in our care. She arrived alongside her best friend Chaos, a senior Bengal cat, and together they have forged an inseparable bond. Mayhem, now healthy and flourishing, enjoys her days in the sanctuary, though she can be shy and often hisses at unfamiliar faces. We continue to work on integrating her with our two other African servals. Mayhem's journey is a testament to resilience and the healing power of love and companionship. Join us in celebrating her story of triumph and the friendship she shares with Chaos, as they remind us of the importance of compassion and sanctuary.
ORDER: Carnivora
FAMILY: Felidae
GENUS: Leptailurus
SPECIES: Serval
Servals are the mid-size cat (25 to 40 lbs.) of Africa, known for their long legs, small head, long neck, and large ears. They are most active at dawn and dusk and live a solitary life unless it is a mother with kittens. These cats are territorial and great jumpers, six feet high from a stand still. This jumping ability is a big part of their hunting strategy. They sit quietly listening with their giant ears for things like rats, mice, gophers, frogs, reptiles, and birds and then jump surprising their prey. Because of this jumping ability, they have a higher than average hunting success rate. Servals are pregnant for approximately 70 days producing 2 to 4 kittens a litter. They stay behind while mama goes out alone to hunt for them, and at about 3 months, start to join her to hone their hunting instincts. The kittens start with insects and work their way up the food chain. They stay with her for about a year before she pushes them out to find their own territory. This can often be tough on the male kittens as she must chase them far away to avoid inbreeding.
Threats
Hyenas, leopards, hunting dogs, fur trade, bushmeat and pet trade.
Conservation Status
LC - Least Concern