Caraval (Caracal + Serval)
The Caraval, also known as a Cara-Serval, is a cat hybrid resulting from the union of a male caracal and a female serval. These hybrids display a distinct spotted pattern reminiscent of the serval, but set against a darker background. Conversely, a Servical is the outcome of breeding a male serval with a female caracal. Notably, a unique case occurred when a litter of Servicals was accidentally produced in the Los Angeles Zoo when the two animals shared an enclosure, and the resulting tawny kittens were eventually placed in an animal shelter.
In recent years, controlled breeding programs have been established to intentionally produce serval-caracal hybrids in order to create F1 hybrids. While these efforts have yielded several hybrid offspring, the goal of achieving an F1 hybrid from this crossbreed has yet to be realized. The Caraval and Servical represent fascinating attempts to explore the interplay of genetics between two closely related but distinct feline species.