Presence of Servals (Leptailurus serval) in a Mature, Closed‐Canopy Tropical Moist Montane Rainforest Ecosystem Challenges Conventional Range Maps

A groundbreaking study challenges conventional wisdom about the serval's habitat preferences, revealing that these elusive cats thrive in mature, closed-canopy tropical moist montane rainforests of Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda. This finding contradicts the long-held belief that servals are savanna specialists and absent from dense rainforest ecosystems (IUCN habitat class 1.9). Researchers used multi-year field observations to document serval presence in this understudied region, highlighting a significant gap in current IUCN range maps for Central and Western Africa. The study underscores the urgent need for increased research efforts in these areas to better understand species distribution and ecology, ensuring more accurate conservation strategies.

Evers, E. E. M., Ndahayo, P., Mulindahabi, F., Ntibabarira, J. P., & Bantlin, D. A. (2025). Presence of Servals (Leptailurus serval) in a Mature, Closed‐Canopy Tropical Moist Montane Rainforest Ecosystem Challenges Conventional Range Maps. African Journal of Ecology, 63(5). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.70072