# How Fast Is A Serval?

> Serval top speed is up to about 80 km/h (50 mph); pounces 3+ metres vertically. Sprint vs endurance and what limits pace.

- **Species:** Serval (*Leptailurus serval*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Carnivore — rodents, birds, frogs, and insects
- **Habitat:** African savannas, grasslands, and wetlands near water
- **Lifespan:** 10–19 years in the wild
- **Top speed:** Up to 80 km/h (50 mph); pounces 3+ metres vertically
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/serval/how-fast-is-a-serval/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/serval/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The serval is a slender African wild cat with the longest legs relative to body size of any felid, huge ears, and a high vertical pounce that plucks birds and rodents from tall grass. Weighing 9–18 kg (20–40 lb), it hunts in savannas and wetlands and is Least Concern across sub-Saharan Africa.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need the full biology — use the [Serval profile](https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/serval/) instead.

## Vertical pounce hunting

Servals locate prey by sound in tall grass, then leap straight up and strike down with forepaws — catching more than 50% of targets in some studies. This spectacular hunting style is unique among cats and inspired the domestic savannah cat breed.

## Help protect the Serval

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/serval/how-fast-is-a-serval/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.