About Genetta genetta (Linnaeus, 1758)
This species has the scientific name Genetta genetta (Linnaeus, 1758), commonly called the common genet.
Characteristics: The common genet has a slender, cat-like body and a small head with a pointed muzzle. It has large oval ears, large eyes, and well-developed whiskers that can reach up to 7 cm (2.8 in) in length. Its legs are short, with cat-like feet and semi-retractile claws. Its fur is dense and soft, with a pale grey base coat marked by numerous black patterns. The back and flanks bear around five rows of black spots, and a long black stripe runs along the spine from the shoulders to the rump. A black stripe also sits on the forehead, and dark patches lie beneath the eyes, which contrast with the white fur of the chin and throat. The tail is striped, with between eight and thirteen rings along its length. Its body is 43 to 55 cm (17 to 22 in) long, with an additional 33 to 52 cm (13 to 20 in) of tail length. Males average 2 kg (4.4 lb) in weight and are approximately 10% larger than females. It has an erectile crest of hair running from the shoulder to the base of the tail, a white tail tip, and black hind feet. A melanistic individual of this species was recorded in 2019 in southern Portugal.
Distribution and habitat: In North Africa, the common genet occurs along the western Mediterranean coast, and in a broad band stretching from Senegal and Mauritania in the west, across the savannah zone south of the Sahara, to Somalia and Tanzania in the east. On the Arabian Peninsula, it has been recorded in coastal regions of Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Oman. A separate discontinuous population lives in Southern Africa, ranging from southern Angola across Zambia and Zimbabwe to Mozambique. It occupies a wide range of deciduous and evergreen habitats that provide abundant shelter, such as rocky terrain with caves and dense scrub land, and it also occurs close to settlements and agricultural land. The common genet is common in Morocco and Algeria, but rare in Libya, Egypt and Zambia. In South Africa, it is common in west-central KwaZulu-Natal, the Cape Province, and QwaQwa National Park in the Free State province. In the East Sudanian Savanna, it was recorded in the transboundary Dinder–Alatash protected area complex during surveys conducted between 2015 and 2018. In northern Ethiopia, it has been recorded in the mountainous Degua Tembien district.
The common genet prefers areas with dense vegetation, including bushes, thickets, and evergreen oak forests. It uses trees with dense canopy foliage and dense thickets overgrown with climbing plants as resting sites. In northern areas, it prefers low elevations with high temperatures and low rainfall. In Manzanares Park in central Spain, it lives primarily in areas 1,000–1,200 m (3,300–3,900 ft) in elevation with many rocks and shrubs. It tolerates living in close proximity to settlements.
Introduced range: The common genet was brought to the Mediterranean region from the Maghreb as a semi-domestic animal roughly 1,000 to 1,500 years ago. It spread from the Iberian Peninsula to the Balearic Islands and southern France. Historically, its European range was thought to be bounded by the Loire and Rhône rivers, which were believed to block expansion north and east, respectively; any specimens found beyond southwestern France were therefore considered captive escapees rather than evidence of wild breeding populations. However, genets have been recorded east of the Rhône in numbers too large to be explained only by the casual dispersal of escaped exotic pets. Combined with the presence of large breeding populations of genets at the edge of their traditional range, this means trans-Rhône specimens are now thought to represent established wild populations descended from individuals that crossed the river via bridges built in urban areas. Sporadic sightings have been recorded as far east as Italy, where individuals have been seen in mountainous areas of the Piedmont region and the Aosta Valley. Individuals sighted in Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands are still considered to have escaped or been released from captivity.
In southwestern Europe, it thrives in oak and pine forests, but also lives in olive groves, riparian zones, ash groves, rocky areas, and shrublands. It is rare in open areas, marshes, and cereal croplands. Despite being abundant along watercourses, access to water is not considered essential for the species. Specimens have been found in high altitude areas of the Alps, but it remains unclear whether this indicates casual occurrence or that the habitat is truly suitable.
Ecology and behaviour: The common genet is a solitary species. Adults are nocturnal and crepuscular, with the highest activity levels occurring just after sunset and just before sunrise; juveniles may be active during the day. They rest during the day in hollow trees or among thickets, and often reuse the same resting sites. A study conducted in northeastern Spain found that males are more active at night than females due to their larger size, which indicates males have higher energy requirements to meet their physiological needs. Females typically weigh less, and have been found to be less active overall. Females also have smaller home ranges than males. In the study, males had a mean annual home range of 113 ha (280 acres), compared to 72 ha (180 acres) for females. While males have larger home ranges in all seasons, the difference between male and female territories is most pronounced during the winter. Home ranges are slightly larger during the spring because individuals are more active, not only during the night but also when searching for a mate. Their increased activity raises their energy needs, so they move more to gather enough food.
The common genet has a varied diet that includes small mammals, lizards, birds, bird eggs, amphibians, centipedes, millipedes, scorpions, insects, and fruit such as figs and olives. The wood mouse is one of its preferred prey items. Genets locate prey primarily by scent, and kill with a bite to the neck, similar to cats. Small rodents are captured by the back, killed with a bite to the head, and then eaten starting from the head. In Spain, common genets can be infected by parasitic worms, as well as ticks, fleas and lice. They also host the phthirapteran species Eutrichophilus genettae and Lorisicola (Paradoxuroecus) genettae. In Africa, known predators of the common genet include the African leopard, serval, caracal, honey badger, and large owl species. Red fox and Eurasian goshawk are also potential predators.
Reproduction and development: In Spain, common genets breed between January and September, with a first peak in February and March, and a second peak in summer. Mating behaviour and young development have been studied in captive individuals. Copulation lasts around two to three minutes, and may be repeated up to five times in a single night. After a gestation period of 10 to 11 weeks, up to four young are born. Newborn common genets weigh 60 to 85 g (2.1 to 3.0 oz). They begin eating meat at around seven weeks of age, and are fully weaned at four months of age. By five months old, they are skilled at hunting on their own. At 19 months old, they start marking territory, and are thought to reach sexual maturity at two years of age. Captive common genets have been recorded living up to 13 years.
