Widely distributed, they are reasonably common over all of Africa south of the Sahara except for rainforest and semi-deserts or desert areas.  These felines are incredible hunters.  Sharing similar proportions to cheetahs they are built for speed and agility and have been seen to leap ten feet in the air to catch a bird. 

Surfing the internet for links for information, it became apparent that they are becoming increasingly popular as exotic pets, and I saw several advertisements for litters - America seems to be the biggest market.  I found this very depressing.   Keeping exotics as pets is something I feel very strongly about, but I shall refrain from launching a diatribe on the subject.  However, I am adding a link to someone who has hand reared a rejected serval kitten, and if you look at the photographs, you will get some idea of the size of these cats compared to domestic cats.  The domestic cats in the photographs are Bengals......which are themselves, large for domestic cats.

http://www.gayzette-bengals.co.uk/html/macchuie_gallery.html#february23

Also adding a link to a good information site on them.   Although they are not on the `endangered` list, their habitats are being lost.  Also they have beautiful spotted coats, are easy to trap, and are increasingly becoming victims of the fur trade.  I think you can probably guess where I stand on that subject.   As is says at the bottom of the link below:

Thirteen adult servals are killed to make one fur coat. 

http://www.catsurvivaltrust.org/serval.htm