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Savannah cat risk assessment
- Author/s:
- Anna Markula, Martin Hannan-Jones and Steve Csurhes
- Published:
- January 2009
Assessment summary
Hybrids of the African serval (Leptailurus serval) and domestic cat (Felis catus), including the savannah cat, have been developed overseas as novel cat breeds for the commercial pet trade. Pest animal risk assessment suggests these hybrids could exacerbate problems being experienced with feral (domestic) cats in Queensland.
If import and possession of these animals was legal in Queensland, their long-term proliferation in captivity could result in escape and dumping of unwanted animals, as has occurred with most other types of pets. Of primary concern is the potential for genetic material from servals to be introduced into Queensland´s feral cat population, perhaps facilitating development of a larger feral cat genotype, with enhanced hunting ability, broader prey size and a broader, more tropical distribution.
It seems reasonable to conclude that the serval and its hybrids are high-risk, in terms of invasive potential, and could pose a significant threat to Queensland´s small to medium-sized native mammals, birds and other native wildlife.
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