Secretive Serval Cats Spotted In Nairobi National Park – Written by Gareth Jones

When driving in the Nairobi National Park, always be prepared for those “suddenly” moments when you see something rare or special. It is good to drive with your camera ON and READY! and next to you if possible, plus if you have binoculars have them out as well, slow driving is obviously necessary for good sightings.

Well such a “suddenly’ moment happened late one afternoon about four years ago, when I was driving around a corner on the Mbuni loop, suddenly a serval stood looking at me on the right side of the road. I immediately stopped and switched off the engine, thankfully my camera was already in hand and I was able to take some good close up photos before the serval walked off into the long grass towards some trees. The serval stopped below one tree and reached upward and in typically cat way, stretched its body while briefly clawing the bark. In a moment the serval walked away to the next tree and disappeared into the grass. I was just about to go, when suddenly the serval leaped out of the grass and landed about three metres up the previous tree, the intended prey, a bird, just managing to fly away by a fraction. The serval stayed up the tree for a few moments allowing me the opportunity for some action photos, before jumping down and bounding away into the long grass. WOW !!…what a rare moment to witness! It is a special moment to see any serval, but leaping up a tree is incredible!

The serval (Leptailurus serval) is a medium-sized African wild cat. DNA studies have shown that the serval is closely related to the African golden cat and the caracal. 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.

To see a serval cat anywhere is very special, and the Nairobi National Park is a good place to find them. They are not common and are difficult to see due to their markings. They are quite small cats, that could look a bit like a cheetah, but are much smaller. They also have a shy reserved nature, and as a result their habits are often sneaky and secretive.

So next time you are thinking about what to do with recreational time? Why not come and spend it in the Nairobi National Park, pack a picnic basket, relax and enjoy taking in the “Soul Tonic” of God’s creation.

Visit the park over the Christmas Holidays with your loved ones! The park is open daily from 06h00 to 19h00.

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