Servals are wild cats that can potentially kill humans, but fatal attacks are extremely rare. These long-legged felines usually avoid confrontation when possible. However, their strong hunting instincts, sharp teeth, and tendency to feel threatened can lead to dangerous situations in rare cases. Understanding serval Cat behavior is key to safety.
Servals are medium-sized wild cats native to Africa, weighing around 20-40 lbs. Originally found hunting in savannas and grasslands, some servals have been kept as pets and in zoos.
While serval cats generally avoid humans when possible, they have attacked in a few instances. Most attacks result from feeling threatened, such as defending food, territory, or themselves when cornered.
Here are key considerations in regards to the safety risks posed by servals:
Serval Aggression
- Servals are not considered aggressive by nature towards humans. Their first instinct when encountering people is to run and hide.
- Conflict typically only occurs if they feel cornered, when defending a food source, or are startled.
- Even well-socialized servals can revert back to defensive attack behavior since hunting and aggression are innate instincts.
Serval Threat Displays
- Prior to attacking, servals often show threat signs like hissing, growling, swishing tail back and forth rapidly, and pulling their ears back.
- These behaviors indicate that the serval feels stressed or threatened. It’s critically important to slowly back away to avoid further aggravating the animal in this scenario.
Attack Capabilities
- Serval Cat can inflict serious injury and potentially death with their bites, especially on the vulnerable neck. Their long canine teeth can pierce deeply.
- They typically kill prey by biting down on the neck vertebrae with extremely forceful pressure from their jaws.
- Along with bites, they are very physically powerful in general, with strong muscular legs that help launch high jumps to pounce on a threat. Their claws are also sharp.
Documented Serval Attacks on Humans
While verified fatal serval attacks on humans are extremely rare, they have occurred before. Here are some examples:
- In 2012, a captive serval in Finland fatally bit and scratched a 47-year old woman’s neck who was cleaning its enclosure.
- A woman was hospitalized with severe arm injuries after a pet serval attack in 2018 in Florida.
- A serval named Bam Bam sent an Ohio woman to emergency care with a bite to her neck in 2022 after escaping from its owner’s house.
So while overall risk seems low, fatal attacks have happened. Vigilance about reading serval warning signs and avoiding antagonizing them is necessary. Proper handling is also critical for owners.
Mitigating Risks With Serval Cats
If living with or handling a serval cat, some key tips include:
- Learn to recognize threatening body language so you can give the serval space if signs are observed. Never corner or crowd them.
- Ensure pets are kept up-to-date on vaccinations and veterinary care to monitor health. Illness may heighten aggression.
- Always supervise interactions between servals and children or guests. Make sure no running or overly anxious behaviors occur.
- House servals securely to prevent potential escapes. Per New Zealand’s guidelines, enclosures should have roofs and be a minimum of 10 feet tall and 100 square feet. Electric fencing is also advised. Locked doors can help for indoor areas.
The risk of a fatal human attack from a serval cat remains extremely unlikely overall. But properly understanding their body language, securing servals from escape, not aggravating them, and supervising interactions can go a long way in preventing any tragic confrontation.