Servals often catch birds by flushing them from tall grass. They can leap 3m in the air to bring them down. That's as high as a basketball hoop!
Long legs allow the serval to spy on its prey over the top of long grasses. They have large ears that work like antennae to pick up the rustle of prey. Both spots and stripes provide camouflage in the dappled shade of long grasses.
Nocturnal hunters, servals have excellent eyesight. In poor light, they can see six times better than you can.
Servals inhabit plains and forests of northern Africa, mainly living in tall grass savannah areas, and generally near streams with densely vegetated banks.
Zoo staff encourage our serval to hunt by hiding meat in cracks and crevices high up around the enclosure.