Servals are long-legged African wild cats specialized for hunting in tall grass who are increasingly kept as exotic pets and in small zoo enclosures, both of which fail their unique activity and spatial needs.
Servals in captive settings frequently have their most distinctive behaviors — explosive vertical leaping, fast pursuit hunting, and long-range territory patrol — entirely suppressed by insufficient space. Enclosures that do not allow vertical jump expression fail a fundamental behavioral need. The exotic pet trade is particularly problematic: servals in homes cannot engage in any of their natural hunting, ranging, or social behaviors, and typically become destructive or fearful. Zoos with large, enriched enclosures that include live prey opportunities (appropriately managed) or jump-height feeding stations provide far better welfare. The hybrid Savannah cat trade raises additional concerns about first-generation animals with wild behavioral drives in domestic settings.