Servals are medium-sized African wildcats increasingly kept both in zoos and as exotic pets, raising welfare questions about their ability to express natural hunting behaviors in captive environments.
Serval welfare in captivity is complicated by their highly specialized hunting adaptations. Their extraordinary sensory capabilities — particularly acute hearing used to locate prey underground or in dense grass — mean they have intense predatory motivation that is difficult to fully satisfy in zoo or home settings. Captive servals that cannot engage in hunting-like behaviors may develop hyperactivity, frustration, or redirected aggression. The exotic pet trade for servals raises serious welfare concerns as most private owners cannot provide appropriate space, diet, social conditions, or veterinary care. In well-designed zoo settings with hunting simulation enrichment, servals can express more natural behavior patterns. Their presence in the exotic pet trade diverts servals from appropriate zoo settings where welfare and conservation goals can be served simultaneously.