The importance of rodents to a specialist carnivore in an industrialized site
Although servals are specialist carnivores, this doesn't mean they can't adapt to new environments. In a new study by Fortune Ravhuanzwo and colleagues from Fort Hare University, researchers found that a petrochemical plant in South Africa had become a popular feeding ground for servals. This is likely because of the high population of rodents there and low populations of larger carnivores in the area. But, does this mean habitat for the serval doesn't need to be protected? No. Industrial sites like this can change over time, leading to less favorable conditions and possibly, long-term health issues for servals due to toxic substance exposure. Still, it is encouraging to see that some specialists can adapt to changing environments, given the ongoing expansion of human development.
Read the Mongabay article about this study by Juliette Portala HERE.
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