Hi! I’m Ashaki the Serval

Built for height rather than speed, the serval is a tall, slender cat with the longest legs relative to body size of any cat species. When hunting, the Serval uses its huge ears and height to detect sounds of prey. Once it has detected its prey, typically small rodents, it jumps up to three metres into the air to strike down with its forepaws. Servals are also experts at catching birds and insects in flight. Servals have even been known to venture into waterways to catch live fish.

The National Zoo is home to 2 Servals; Souda, Ashaki. The zoo is part of a regional breeding program for Servals.