The name Serval is derived from a Portuguese word meaning “wolf-deer.” Often referred to as the cat of spare parts; servals are found in well-watered savannah long-grass environments, sub-Saharan Africa, with small populations in south-west Africa.
Servals are solitary animals, and social interactions are limited to periods of mating. Primary prey items for the Serval includes rodents, birds, reptiles, fish, frogs and insects. It also has the ability to leap vertically and catch prey such as birds, right out of the air.
The main threats to Servals are leopards, dogs, and of course, man. Because of their beautiful pelage, they are a prime target for poachers. Their skins are sold as young leopards or cheetahs, which are much scarcer. The pelt trade for they are sold is mostly for domestic ceremonial, medicinal purposes or the tourist trade rather than for commercial export.
There is also the issue of preserving the land that makes up their homeland, which is destroyed by human encroachment or from annual burning of grasslands. Some tribes hunt and kill the Serval for their flesh, which is considered a delicacy.

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