Big cats, like tigers, lions, leopards, and jaguars are powerful, visually stunning and intimidating predators — so it’s completely understandable that they steal much of the limelight. At the same time, small wild cats garner attention as unmatched hunters, not all that different than the cunning, domesticated felines we share our homes with. But mid-sized wild cats—those that fall between about 10 and 60 pounds—don’t get nearly enough attention or credit, combining the creative hunting strategies of their smaller cousins with the grace and strength of bigger cats.These often overlooked and underestimated predators are among the planet’s most skilled carnivores, in spite of their awkward weight class. Servals (Leptailurus serval) are perhaps the most familiar of the mid-sized wild cats, being part of the hybrid parentage of the Savannah cat breed. These cheetah-like cats can weigh up to 40 pounds, and with their characteristically long limbs (longer than any other cat for their body size), can reach 2 feet at the shoulder.

Servals are relatively common throughout grasslands and wetlands in sub-Saharan Africa, where they put those gangly legs to good use. Servals (Leptailurus serval) are perhaps the most familiar of the mid-sized wild cats, being part of the hybrid parentage of the Savannah cat breed. These cheetah-like cats can weigh up to 40 pounds, and with their characteristically long limbs (longer than any other cat for their body size), can reach 2 feet at the shoulder. Servals are relatively common throughout grasslands and wetlands in sub-Saharan Africa, where they put those gangly legs to good use.

While servals are capable of taking down larger prey like waterfowl or small antelope, they’ve developed a specialized method of catching their preferred food: rats. Servals use their incredibly acute hearing—aided by their swiveling, satellite dish-like ears—to tune in to the movements of rodents in tall grass or reeds. After pinpointing a target, servals pounce, launching themselves more than six feet upwards with their spring-loaded legs. Holding their front paws close to their chest, they fall back to earth, extending their claws at the last second to pummel the doomed rat with a single, stupefying, ultimately fatal strike.