Research overview: genetics of the serval and caracal

The serval and the caracal are medium-sized African cats of the caracal lineage, both relatively widespread but facing localized pressures. This overview surveys their genetic relationships within the lineage, the population structure across their African ranges, and the contribution of the serval to hybrid domestic breeds such as the Savannah cat. It discusses the conservation genetics of populations at the edges of their ranges, the use of molecular tools to monitor diversity and detect hybridization, and how these adaptable but understudied cats fit into the broader genetic picture of African felid diversity alongside the more intensively studied lions, leopards, and cheetahs.