The Natural History of Leptailurus ServalChristian Cintron, BIO 344.L05INTROCommonly called African serval or serval cats, the Leptailurus serval species is a medium-sized feline native to the African continent. Although it is widely distributed throughout the sub-Saharan region, it has become extinct in some areas due to human predation. These elegant creatures are known for their remarkable resemblance to a cheetah with a magnificent fur coat with spotted markings and long legs. Another distinctive feature of the serval is its large, round, forward-facing ears on top of the head. These characteristics help the serval hunt its prey, giving it a relatively high success rate of around 50%. Physical description: The serval is a placental mammal that stands rather tall and measures between 54 cm and 66 cm. Its body length measures from 59 cm to 92 cm. The serval also has a relatively short tail that makes up only about 40 percent of the body length, ranging from 20 cm to 45 cm. Women's weight can vary from 15 to 26 pounds. The male can weigh between 20 pounds and 40 pounds. The serval has a relatively small head and very distinct large round ears. The color of the serval can vary between individuals, ranging from off-white to dark golden yellow. Most commonly though, servals have tawny-colored fur with black stripes that start at the head and then transition into spots on the rest of the body. The fur helps them blend in with the tall grass in which they usually roam. The serval's ear bubbles are very well developed with a total length of about 22 percent of the head. This gives the serval a very keen sense of hearing. Systematics and paleontology German naturalist Jo...... middle of paper ...... treated, they will quickly move towards tall grass or reed beds where they can take shelter. If necessary, the African serval can also climb trees and swim but it is quite rare for it to do either. Sensory Modalities The African serval has a highly developed sense of hearing, which plays a crucial role in hunting for prey. As previously noted, the serval has well-developed ear bubbles that measure approximately 22 percent of the length of its head. This allows the serval to hunt its prey in tall grass by listening to the vibrations of moving rodents. They are even able to hear rodents underground and dig them out. Another characteristic of the African serval is its long, thin legs which help the cat navigate tall grass and reed beds. Additionally, they have unusually large metacarpals that allow it to jump 2 to 3 m into the air to catch or pounce on prey...