The serval’s hunting is characterized by motionless focus, precise targeting, and then a lightning-fast leap. This slender African wild cat brings down its prey using a unique technique.

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While browsing Instagram, we came across the video below, which features serval cubs. One of them can be seen playfully running around with a mouse in its mouth. The young female serval has reached a major milestone: she has managed to “acquire” the first mouse of her life, which was prepared for her by the organization’s domestic cat, Paris. While her brother was still trying to process what was happening, she immediately followed her instincts, pounced, secured the prey, and signaled with a firm growl that no one was going to take it from her. Definitely turn the volume up!

The footage was taken at Running Wild Conservation, a wildlife protection and rehabilitation organization in South Africa. The organization primarily focuses on rescuing, rehabilitating, and preparing endangered predators so they can be released back into the wild. Volunteers, students, and interns play a key role in daily care, environmental enrichment activities, and rehabilitation programs that give rescued animals a second chance.

This Is How the Serval Hunts

Hunting comes naturally to serval cubs from a very young age. Even before they are fully weaned from their mother, they practice stalking and pouncing through play. In the wild, mothers teach them to take down smaller prey, which excellently develops their lightning-fast reflexes and the agility of their long legs.

The serval’s hunting style is fascinating and extremely effective, mainly thanks to its highly refined senses; it captures its prey with a success rate of around 50%. Its main “weapon” is its exceptional hearing, which allows it to detect small rodents moving beneath the grass or underground. It often freezes in place, tilts its head to the side, and precisely gauges the prey’s position. When attacking, its long legs enable it to leap up to 3.5 meters from a standing start and strike the prey with its front paws. After catching its victim, it dispatches it quickly. This technique is so effective that the serval ranks among the very best hunters of all wild cats. It mostly hunts at night, preying primarily on rodents, hares, rock hyraxes, small antelopes, fish, and birds.

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