[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]The Large Spotted Genet is found along the south and east coastal areas of South Africa and in large parts of Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, Angola, Kenya, Rwanda and west across to west Africa.
The Genet is a small cat-like creature. Their bodies are long and slender. They have short legs and long tails. They stand around 18-25cm in height at the shoulder and have a body length of 80-110cm plus a tail length of 40-50cm. Their faces are characterised by their fairly long snouts. Their coat is spotted and they have alternating dark and light rings around their tails. The large spotted Genet has a dark tip to its tail (whereas the small spotted genet or common genet, has a light tip to its tail.
The Genet is primarily nocturnal. Genets are excellent climbers and their long tails help their balance when climbing. They are normally solitary but occasionally are seen in pairs. It is believed that only the females mark and hold territories. These are marked with strong smelling secretions from their anal glands as well as urine and my scratching trees. During the day they rest up under piles of brush, in holes in trees, or in vacant burrows made by other animals such as the aardvark.
Large Spotted Genets eat insects and other invertebrates such as scorpions, spiders and millipedes, as well as amphibians, reptiles, birds, rodents and other small mammals up to the size of hares. Rats and other rodents make up a significant percentage of their diet. Genets occasionally kill poultry.
Wed Mar 06, 2013 8:13 am
