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Caracal v Serval
Topic Started: Jul 10 2012, 05:27 PM (17,684 Views)
Taipan
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Caracal - Caracal caracal
The caracal (Caracal caracal, pronounced /ˈkærəkæl/) is a fiercely territorial medium-sized cat ranging over Western Asia, South Asia and Africa. The caracal is distributed over Africa, the Middle East, Pakistan and India. Its chief habitat is dry steppes and semideserts, but it also inhabits woodlands, savannah, and scrub forest. They generally prefer open country, so long as there is sufficient cover, in the form of bushes and rocks, from which to ambush prey. The caracal is a slender, yet muscular, cat, with long legs and a short tail. Males typically weigh 13 to 18 kilograms (29 to 40 lb), while females weigh about 11 kilograms (24 lb). The caracal resembles a Eurasian Lynx, and for a long time it was considered a close relative of the lynxes. It has a tail nearly a third of its body length, and both sexes look the same. The caracal is 65 to 90 centimetres (26 to 35 in) in length, with a 30 centimetres (12 in) tail. Compared to lynxes, it has longer legs, shorter fur, and a slimmer appearance.

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Serval - Leptailurus serval
The serval, Leptailurus serval or Caracal serval, known in Afrikaans as Tierboskat, "tiger-forest-cat", 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. The serval is a medium sized cat, measuring 59 to 92 centimetres (23 to 36 in) in head-body length, with a relatively short, 20 to 38 centimetres (7.9 to 15 in) tail, and a shoulder height of about 54 to 66 centimetres (21 to 26 in). Weight ranges from about 7 to 12 kilograms (15 to 26 lb) in females, and from 9 to 18 kilograms (20 to 40 lb) in males. It is a strong yet slender animal, with long legs and a fairly short tail. 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 2 or 4 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 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). Servals are nocturnal, and so hunt mostly at night, unless disturbed by human activity or the presence of larger nocturnal predators. Although the serval is specialized for catching rodents, it is an opportunistic predator whose diet also includes birds, hares, hyraxes, reptiles, insects, fish, and frogs. The serval has been observed taking larger animals, such as deer, gazelle, and springbok, though over 90% of the serval's prey weighs less than 200 g (7 oz).

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zombie
 
serval vs caracal
Edited by Taipan, Apr 29 2014, 06:04 PM.
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Replies:
ImperialDino
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Mauro20
Feb 6 2013, 10:22 AM
ImperialDino
Jul 12 2012, 09:19 AM
the serval is a rodent hunter and basically takes the same prey as a HOUSECAT would, the caracal takes eagles and flamingos.
The OP states that servals can kill deer, gazelle and springbok.

Anyway, caracal wins IMO.
Serval's mouth are too small to kill adult gazelle or springbok.
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Vivec
Canid and snake enthusiast.
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ImperialDino
Apr 3 2013, 10:27 AM
Mauro20
Feb 6 2013, 10:22 AM
ImperialDino
Jul 12 2012, 09:19 AM
the serval is a rodent hunter and basically takes the same prey as a HOUSECAT would, the caracal takes eagles and flamingos.
The OP states that servals can kill deer, gazelle and springbok.

Anyway, caracal wins IMO.
Serval's mouth are too small to kill adult gazelle or springbok.
Maybe adult, but according to York (1973) they do kill Common duikers, flamingos, hares, and young antelope. (York 1973)

Here's the link:http://library.sandiegozoo.org/factsheets/serval/serval.html#diet
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Cerberus
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The caracal is more impressive(lb for lb) than the serval. The serval would need a decent weight advantage to compete, and these animals are close in weight. Caracal wins.
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maker
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Caracal looks slightly thicker and slightly heavier, it wins.
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Homotherium
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60 against 40% for caracal. He is better fighter.
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Creeper
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So you give a serval a 40% chance against a caracal but give the bobcat 0%

I suppose you favor the serval over the bobcat?
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Sleipnir
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Although both cats are evenly matched in weight and length, the caracal seems a bit more robust.
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ronaldo
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Fight between two cats which are not called BIG cats a caracal weights 7 to 12 kg while a serval also weights 12 kg. But the caracal has more power is more muscular. A serval is a very nice jumper it can be rarely seen it is mostly found in Africa. A fight between them is deadly both are small but have strength but a caravan would win this fight ;D
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Koolyote
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The Caracal would destroy the Serval even at parity, it has a stronger bite and body and takes down more impressive prey.
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Oculus kageyamii
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ImperialDino
Jul 12 2012, 09:19 AM
k9boy
Jul 10 2012, 06:31 PM
At average weights the serval is too big, at parity or close weights the caracal wins.
too big? There about the same size little guy!!

the serval is a rodent hunter and basically takes the same prey as a HOUSECAT would, the caracal takes eagles and flamingos.
Do you have any proof for caracals killing eagles?
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ImperialDino
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This is a small version of Cougar vs Cheetah.
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Choeradodis
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They don't only take small game.
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Shin
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the two species in the same enclosure
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Wombatman
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The body structure doesnt seem very different, the serval just have longer limbs.
But im inclined to say caracal wins
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Oculus kageyamii
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^^^So much for the skull difference. They look the same size. Maybe that's a female caracal.
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