Serval dog, also known as jungle dog, water dog, canine dog subfamily Serval dog genus, there are 3 subspecies differentiation: named subspecies, Panamanian subspecies, Paraguayan subspecies. It is endemic to South America and is found in northern South America. Serval dogs look like weasels or otters, with only 38 teeth, 6 fewer molars than the average dog, the least of the canines, which is a bit close to the cat family. It inhabits tropical forests, moist grasslands and woodside marshlands, and prefers to move near water sources.
The body is long, 57–75 cm long, 20–30 cm shoulder height, and weighs 5–8 kg; the tail is short, about 13 cm long. The skull is wider, the mouth is shorter, the ears are short and round, and the limbs are short. He looked neither like a domestic dog, nor a fox, nor a wolf. In taxonomy, together with the Asian jackal dog and the African wild dog, a subfamily (Serval dog subfamily) is formed, because they all have some characteristics that are different from those of the general canine family, so they are called "pseudo-canines" or "pseudo-dogs".
The coat is hard and messy, the coat color is brownish red or brown sandalwood, the head and neck are light, there are light red patches on the throat, the abdomen, limbs and tail are dark, and the coat color is slightly different in different origins. It is semi-aquatic, with underdeveloped web-like feet, spider web-like, large slits, and is the only dog with long webbing, good at swimming, and can also dive to adapt to near-water life. They generally operate in small groups with about 7-12 members. Like most other canine communities, servals are fertile only to their chiefs.
It is a diurnal and nocturnal animal that feeds on rodents, fish, small reptiles, amphibians, and some water birds. Hunting in groups, they like to hunt larger prey that is much larger than their own size. It has the habit of collective hunting and long-term tracking of jackals and African wild dogs. The division of labor during the hunt is orderly, with the most experienced leader as the main attack force, and the other members responsible for driving and harassing the prey. Community members communicate with voices such as mournful sounds, and the relationship between communities is very social.