Servals, like many other wild cats, face several threats due to wildlife trafficking, which endangers their survival in the wild. Here are the key threats they face:

Illegal Pet Trade: Servals are often captured and sold illegally as exotic pets. Many buyers are unprepared for the challenges of owning a wild animal, leading to poor living conditions, abandonment, or neglect. This trade is a significant driver of serval trafficking.

Poaching for Fur and Body Parts: Servals are sometimes hunted for their distinctive coats, which are used in the fashion industry or sold as status symbols. In some cultures, their body parts may be used in traditional medicine or rituals.

Habitat Loss and Fragmentation: While not directly linked to trafficking, servals face habitat destruction due to agriculture, urbanization, and deforestation. Wildlife trafficking exacerbates this problem as it removes them from already shrinking natural environments.

Decline in Prey Availability: Servals rely on small animals such as rodents, birds, and reptiles for food. As trafficking depletes their numbers and disrupts ecosystems, prey becomes scarcer, further threatening serval populations.

Inhumane Captive Conditions: Servals trafficked into the exotic pet trade or sold to roadside zoos often suffer in small, inadequate enclosures with poor nutrition and no opportunity to express natural behaviors, leading to psychological stress and health problems.

Wildlife trafficking, alongside habitat destruction, poses a serious risk to the survival of servals in the wild and their wellbeing in captivity.