Serval, long-legged wildcat native to grasslands and brush country of Algeria, Morocco, and sub-Saharan Africa. Buff-colored with black spots in rows sometimes merging into stripes down its back and legs, the serval has a slender body 0.67 to 1 m (2.2 to 3 ft) long and 54 to 62 cm (21 to 24 in) high at the shoulder and a small head with long, rounded ears; it weighs 8.7 to 18 kg (19 to 40 lb). The serval feeds mostly on small mammals, lizards, and birds, although it is powerful enough to kill young antelope. It hunts by speed and climbs trees well. When captured young, servals can be tamed, but they are difficult to raise.

Scientific classification: The serval belongs to the family Felidae. It is classified as Felis serval.