Famous for their big ears and long legs, Kijani, Kibuluu and Ekundu have made quite the impression since arriving last week. 

Tasmania Zoo manager Rochelle Penney said the two males and one female have settled in well and have been brought to Tasmania from Canberra as part of a species management program. 

“They are very shy at the moment but seem to be very happy in their new surroundings,” she said. 

“I would say they are unique looking, but that is part of their charm.

“They definitely have very big ears though.

“That takes some getting used to.”

Native to Africa, the species population is currently in decline and is famous for their gold spotted coat and large ears. 

The serval also has some of the longest legs of any cat relative to its body size, making it a very fast and effective hunter. 

“They are very fearful when it comes to their hunting,” Ms Penney explained. 

“They are very fast, second only to the cheetah, but are also very skilled.

“Most cats in the wild have a kill rate of 10 percent.

“A serval has a success rate of 50.

“So they are very smart.

“You definitely wouldn’t want to come across one.”

The zoo had been planning for the servals’ arrival for some time with a new purpose-built enclosure.

The latest cat additions add to the zoo’s growing list of more than 100 rare, exotic and native species.