Coyote Peterson, a wildlife expert, visits the Kariega Game Reserve in South Africa to interact with a serval, a medium-sized wildcat that has become extinct in the Eastern Cape due to habitat loss and hunting. Coyote, accompanied by conservationist Jo, enters the enclosure to feed the serval, named Sky, a dead bird on a stick. He uses a makeshift cat toy to entice the serval, showcasing its natural hunting behavior. Coyote also discusses the serval's unique characteristics, such as its large ears and spring-loaded legs, and demonstrates how it would hunt in the wild. The episode ends with an update on the conservation efforts, revealing that a litter of serval kittens was born after the filming, and Coyote's announcement of the Brave Wilderness Live tour.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The host, Coyote Peterson, will enter an enclosure with a serval, a medium-sized spotted wildcat.
2. Servals are also known as Savannah cats.
3. The host is working with a conservation team at the Kariega Game Reserve in South Africa.
4. The team's goal is to successfully breed and reintroduce servals to the reserve.
5. Servals have become extinct in the Eastern Cape due to habitat loss and hunting.
6. The host is feeding a serval a dead bird using a pole and twine.
7. Servals are known for their excellent eyesight, sense of smell, and hearing.
8. They have the largest ears of any feline in proportion to their body size.
9. Servals are carnivores and feed on small animals like birds, mice, and lizards.
10. They are stealthy hunters and can creep up on their prey before pouncing.
11. Servals are also known to hunt at night, depending on their prey.
12. The host is using a GoPro camera to capture footage of the serval.
13. The Kariega Game Reserve is a 10,000-hectare conservation area in South Africa.
14. The reserve is home to many large animals, including African elephants, white rhinos, and hippos.
15. The host is working with a woman named Jo, who is considered the "mother of servals" and is part of the conservation team.
16. Servals are being reintroduced to the wild by the Kariega Game Reserve and the Kariega Foundation.
17. One of the female servals was pregnant at the time of filming and gave birth to a healthy litter of kittens shortly after.
18. The kittens will be released into the wild in a few months, marking a significant success for the conservation effort.