African serval. Home serval

If you have always dreamed of having a real wild animal in miniature at home, then an African serval will be an excellent choice. Moreover, it is very prestigious to become the owner of such an animal, because these seals are on a par with thoroughbred horses. However, as for the content, the serval does not require any special conditions: this animal is very unpretentious and has a noble character, which makes it an excellent pet. Today we offer you to get to know this amazing animal better.

African serval cat: description

This animal looks like a long-legged slender strong cat of medium size. The closest relatives of serval are lynx and caracal. The characteristic features of the appearance of this cat are very long strong paws and disproportionately large ears with rounded tips. The African serval has a small head with an elongated muzzle and a wide nose and a short tail that does not reach the ground. The eyes of representatives of the breed are quite large, and the pupils of adult animals are round. The claws of the serval have a crescent shape and, like those of domestic cats, are retracted into the pads of the paws.

As for dimensions, the African serval is larger than the usual "Murki" and "Vaski". So, the height at the withers of these wild cats ranges from 40 to 65 centimeters. The length of the body reaches 90-130 centimeters, and the tail is 30-45 centimeters. Serval weight can vary between 8-18 kilograms.

These African seals are characterized by color in the form of dark spots and stripes on a yellow-gray background. At the same time, the chest, muzzle and abdomen are white. Moreover, the color of these animals varies depending on the habitat. So, in mountainous areas, you can meet completely black representatives of the breed, and in captivity, white servals with silver-gray spots were born several times.

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When communicating, these animals use various types of vocalizations, including growling, purring, shrill cry and others.

Range and habitat

The serval cat comes from Africa. On this continent, it is found almost everywhere except for the Sahara desert, southern regions and the equatorial forest zone. In nature, these animals prefer to settle in open spaces with thickets of grass and shrubs not far from fresh water sources. But the African serval tries to avoid deserts, humid tropical forests and dry plains.

Lifestyle

For the most part, these representatives of the feline family are active at dusk. So, they go hunting late in the evening and early in the morning. However, sometimes you can meet a serval tracking prey in the daytime. Thanks to their long paws, these wild cats move easily and silently through the tall grass. Excellent hearing helps them easily track down even small prey. In addition, the serval is able to jump up to a height of three meters, which allows it to shoot down birds taking off from the ground. These animals prefer not to chase their prey, but to sneak up on it in the tall grass, and then, after making one big jump, grab it with their claws and crush it under them. Also, the serval easily digs out a variety of rodents from burrows. These seals are great at climbing trees and swimming. In general, it is safe to call Serval an excellent hunter. So, according to statistics, two-thirds of his attacks end with the capture of prey.

As for the serval's natural enemies, they are wild dogs, leopards and hyenas. In addition, these magnificent animals often become victims of humans. In moments of danger, the African serval prefers to either hide or escape.

Social structure

African servals lead a solitary lifestyle, pairing up exclusively during the breeding season. The males of these animals are very territorial. So, the area of their individual plots can range from 40 to 70 square kilometers. At the same time , females secure much smaller territories - 2-9 sq . m . kilometers.

Reproduction of the African serval

During the mating season, the female and male pair up. They hunt and rest together. Interestingly, males of this species can mate with both caracals and ordinary domestic cats, as a result of which hybrids are born. In anticipation of childbirth, the female serval settles down in an old aardvark burrow or builds a nest in thick tall grass. Pregnancy in representatives of this species lasts from 65 to 75 days. In one litter, two or three cubs are born. When small males begin to hunt on their own, the mother expels them from her territory. The females stay with the parent much longer. Puberty in servals occurs at the age of one and a half to two years.

Serval at home

These amazing cats today are increasingly found as pets. There is a myth about the danger of serval for humans, but such an opinion is not based on any real facts. After all, in nature, the victims of these representatives of the feline family are small animals and birds. Man, on the other hand, acts as a natural enemy rather than a potential prey. In this regard, the serval cat will not attack its owner and his family members under any circumstances. Therefore, such an exotic animal can be kept even in a house where there are children. It is quite possible to have a representative of this breed, even if you already have a cat, a domestic serval is likely to quickly find a common language with her, especially if you took him into education at an early age (it is recommended to take 1.5-2 month old kittens). Interestingly, these people from Africa often resemble dogs more in their habits, so it is quite possible to walk with them on a leash. In addition, the serval will be happy to bring you a ball or other abandoned toy. They are also very gentle creatures who love affection and attention, as, indeed, all domestic cats.

As for feeding, in the wild, serval feeds mainly on rodents and small birds. When kept at home, their diet should consist of raw meat with bones - beef and chicken. These cats can eat from 400 grams to 1.5 kilograms of food per day. In addition, servals need to be given vitamins with calcium supplements.

These people from Africa have very good health. However, in urban conditions, they need vaccination, like all other animals. As for life expectancy, on average it ranges from 15 to 20 years.