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The serval (''Leptailurus serval'') is a medium-sized African wild cat native to sub-Saharan Africa. As it is considered common and widely distributed, it has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2002. Results of DNA studies indicate that the serval is closely related to the African golden cat and the caracal. ==Description== The serval is a medium-sized cat, measuring in head-body length, with a relatively short, tail, and a shoulder height of about .〔Burnie D and Wilson DE (Eds.), ''Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide to the World's Wildlife''. DK Adult (2005), ISBN 0789477645〕 Weight ranges from about in females, and from in males. It is a strong yet slender animal, with long legs and a fairly short tail. Due to its leg length, it is relatively one of the tallest cats. The head is small in relation to the body, and the tall, oval ears are set close together. The pattern of the fur is variable. Usually, the serval is boldly spotted black on tawny, with two or four stripes from the top of the head down the neck and back, transitioning into spots. The "servaline" form has much smaller, freckled spots, and was once thought to be a separate species. The backs of the ears are black with a distinctive white bar. In addition, melanistic servals are quite common in some parts of the range, giving a similar appearance to the "black panther" (melanistic leopard).〔 White servals have never been documented in the wild and only five have been documented in captivity. One was born and died at the age of two weeks in Canada in the early 1990s. Three males were born at Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida: Two in 1997 named Kongo and Tonga and one in 1999 named Pharaoh.〔(Pharaoh ). Big Cat Rescue. Retrieved on 2012-07-03.〕〔(Tonga ). Big Cat Rescue. Retrieved on 2012-07-03.〕〔(Kongo White Serval - tributes ). Sites.google.com. Retrieved on 2012-07-03.〕 Another is owned by a family living in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/video?playlistId=1.1027332 )〕 Servals have the longest legs of any cat, relative to their body size. Most of this increase in length is due to the greatly elongated metatarsal bones in the feet. The toes are also elongated, and unusually mobile, helping the animal to capture partially concealed prey. Another distinctive feature of the serval is the presence of large ears and auditory bullae in the skull, indicating a particularly acute sense of hearing.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「serval」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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