These videos are about the African Serval Cat (Leptailurus serval) showing Servals jumping and Servals hunting. These amazing African wild cats have the longest legs and the largest ears of all cats relative to their size. These unique adaptations enable Serval cats to jump and hunt in an extraordinary way.
These narrated video clips are all taken in the wild by professional filmmakers. The short documentary at the end shows how Servals can adapt to a human altered environment as long as there is sufficient prey and minimal disturbance.
More information about Servals, Serval characteristics and Serval distribution in Africa.
Smithsonian Channel: Educational video about the Serval cat's jumping ability and other hunting adaptations.
With its large ears the Serval uses echolocation to detect prey hidden in the grasses. Then using their long legs and incredible jumping power Servals can leap vertically up to three meters to catch birds flushed from the grasses.
Serval clip at 28:40 minutes.
NatGeo Wild: Young male Serval hunting a mole snake in South Africa.
Reptiles are a common prey item for Servals and snakes are no exception, although tackling this unpredictable prey requires lightening fast reactions. It has been recorded that Servals have up to a 50% success rate in hunting prey.
Lion Mountain TV: Serval behaviour including Serval cat jumping to catch a francolin and interaction with another male Serval.
Watch an African Serval jumping with incredible power and speed to catch a ground bird flying up in an attempt to escape the predator.
BBC One: Serval kittens practicing their hunting skills.
Even at this young age, Serval kittens are already amazingly fast and reactive when play-hunting with each other.
Earth Touch: Short documentary about Servals thriving right next to an industrial power plant in South Africa.
"The world's largest coal liquefaction plant has some unusual neighbours: the densest population of elusive Serval cats anywhere on the planet."
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African Travel Guides written by Locals
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