# Video of rusty-spotted genets consuming bats and other prey: Behaviors observed and eco-epidemiological considerations

Morgane Labadie, Emmanuel Do Linh San, Serge Morand, Alexandre Caron, Fabien Roch Niama, Guytrich Franel Nguilili, N'Kaya Tobi, Hélène De Nys, Mathieu Bourgarel

<figure><img src="image_1.png" /></figure>

## To cite this version:

Morgane Labadie, Emmanuel Do Linh San, Serge Morand, Alexandre Caron, Fabien Roch Niama, et al.. Video of rusty-spotted genets consuming bats and other prey: Behaviors observed and eco-epidemiological considerations. Ecosphere, 2024, 15 (11), 10 p. 10.1002/ecs2.70011. hal-05182644

HAL Id: hal-05182644

https://hal.science/hal-05182644v1

Submitted on 23 Jul 2025

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access
archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci-
entific research documents, whether they are pub-
lished or not. The documents may come from
teaching and research institutions in France or
abroad, or from public or private research centers.

L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est
destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents
scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non,
émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de
recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires
publics ou privés.

<figure><img src="image_2.png" /></figure>

Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
ARTICLE

Ecosphere Naturalist

# Video of rusty-spotted genets consuming bats and other prey: Behaviors observed and eco-epidemiological considerations

Morgane Labadie<fnref n="1" /> ID | Emmanuel Do Linh San<fnref n="2" /> ID | Serge Morand<fnref n="3" /> ID |

Alexandre Caron<fnref n="1" />,<fnref n="4" /> ID | Fabien Roch Niama<fnref n="5" /> ID | Guytrich Franel Nguilili<fnref n="6" /> |

N’Kaya Tobi<fnref n="6" /> | Hélène Marie De Nys<fnref n="1" />,<fnref n="4" />,<fnref n="7" /> ID | Mathieu Bourgarel<fnref n="1" />,<fnref n="4" />,<fnref n="7" /> ID

**Correspondence**

Morgane Labadie

Email: morgane.labadie@gmail.com

**Present address**

Emmanuel Do Linh San, Department of Biological and Agricultural Sciences, Sol Plaatje University, Kimberley, South Africa.

**Funding information**

EBOSURSY Project "Renforcement des capacités et de la surveillance pour la maladie à Virus Ebola", Grant/Award Number: FOOD/2016/379-660; Laboratoire National de Santé Publique de Brazzaville; Centre de Coopération International en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement, UMR ASTRE, Montpellier

**Handling Editor:** Alessio Mortelliti

**Abstract**

Following the implementation of a camera trap-monitoring protocol of interactions between cave bats and wildlife in the Republic of Congo, we identified sustained rusty-spotted genet (Genetta maculata) activity in Boundou cave. This cave, consisting of a single chamber, is home to a colony of several species of insectivorous bats throughout the year. Between 2022 and 2023, we recorded four events of bat or rodent consumption, one hunting attempt on bats and three feeding behaviors on insects. We describe and discuss the various behaviors and briefly elaborate on the potential epidemiological implications of bat consumption. To the best of our knowledge, our videos are the first to depict the consumption of bats by rusty-spotted genets.

**KEYWORDS**

camera traps, cave, foraging behavior, *Genetta maculata*, predation, scavenger, trophic chain

## INTRODUCTION

With more than 1470 known species (Simmons & Cirranello, 2023), bats (Chiroptera) are the mammalian order represented globally by the largest number of

individuals (Greenspoon et al., 2023). They are present in a wide range of habitats and exhibit a great diversity in their foraging and refuge behaviors, providing numerous ecosystem services (Kunz, 2013). They are also an essential element in the food chain, serving as food for many

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© 2024 The Author(s). *Ecosphere* published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Ecological Society of America.

<footnote n="1">¹CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Montpellier, France</footnote>

<footnote n="2">²Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa</footnote>

<footnote n="3">³IRL HealthDEEP CNRS - Kasetsart University - Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand</footnote>

<footnote n="4">⁴ASTRE, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France</footnote>

<footnote n="5">⁵Laboratoire National de Santé Publique, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo</footnote>

<footnote n="6">⁶Direction Générale de l'Élevage (Service vétérinaire), Ministère de l'Agriculture, de l'élevage et de la pêche, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo</footnote>

<footnote n="7">⁷CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Harare, Zimbabwe</footnote>
predators (Kasso & Balakrishnan, 2013), including humans (Mickleburgh et al., 2009). During their resting period or when they emerge from their roosts, bats are predated by snakes (Price, 2004; Ridley, 1898), birds from different families (Tanalgo et al., 2019), centipedes (Molinari et al., 2005), as well as wild and domestic mammals (Costa-Pinto, 2020; Mallick et al., 2021; Oedin et al., 2021; Scrimgeour et al., 2012).

The Viverridae (order Carnivora) is a family of medium-sized, feliform carnivorous mammals comprising at least 34 different species distributed across three continents (southern Europe, Africa and Asia), divided into 14 distinct genera including genets, civets, and binturongs (Do Linh San, 2022; Jennings & Veron, 2009). Mainly known as nocturnal and terrestrial and/or arboreal hunters, they have a varied diet ranging from small vertebrates and invertebrates to fruits, seeds, and other plant materials (Jennings & Veron, 2009; Kingdon & Hoffmann, 2013). In Africa, there are between 14 and 17 recognized species of genets (Gaubert, 2013; Gaubert et al., 2005), with possibly up to four species living in the Republic of Congo (see appendix ES1 in Do Linh San et al., 2013). The rusty-spotted genet or Central African large-spotted genet (*Genetta maculata*; note that the species epithet *maculata* is no longer valid according to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, and thus should only be used as a provisional naming; ICZN, 2007) is present in a wide range of countries in Africa (Angelici et al., 2016), including the Republic of Congo, where it is likely one of the most common genet species. It is known to be mainly carnivorous (small mammals, insects, gastropods, fish, amphibians, small birds and eggs), but it can supplement its diet with fruits, seeds and berries (Angelici & Gaubert, 2013; Roux et al., 2016).

Some genet species are known to consume bats on a more or less regular basis as part of their diet, such as the Cape genet (*Genetta tigrina*) (Azzaroli & Simonetta, 1966) and the common genet (*Genetta genetta*) (Carvalho et al., 2016; Fuller et al., 1990; Mas et al., 2015; Riols & Nadal, 2018). Although bat remains have been found in genet feces or stomachs, their direct consumption has not been well documented and predation events have rarely been observed. To our knowledge, only two studies, both in South Africa, mention cases of predation by *G. maculata* on bats. Carpenter (1970) described a rusty-spotted genet repeatedly consuming bats (average of six individuals per night) and Rautenbach (1978) mentioned the presence of a bat in the food bowl of an individual captured for an inventory.

In Africa and Asia, Viverridae are hunted for food (Brookes et al., 2022; Gaubert et al., 2015; Gossé et al., 2022) and to create clothing from their skins, or are

captured alive to serve as exotic pets (Angelici et al., 2016; Carvalho et al., 2016; Widdows et al., 2016). Scientists suspect that at least one of these practices may be behind the outbreak of a new form of severe viral pneumonia (SARS) in 2002 due to interaction with masked palm civet (*Paguma larvata*) (Shi & Hu, 2008; Wang & Eaton, 2007; Xu et al., 2004; Yu et al., 2003). These predatory species can indeed contribute to the transmission of viruses to humans as bridge hosts by coming into contact with reservoir species such as bats (Borremans et al., 2019; Caron et al., 2015, 2018).

Camera monitoring has become a widespread technique, notably to detect the presence and determine the occupancy of wildlife species in focal regions and habitats (Ahumada et al., 2013; Fleming et al., 2014; Kucera & Barrett, 2011). However, the use of video recording can also provide precious and possibly novel information about interspecies interactions, including the feeding behavior of some predators and the interactions with their prey (Currylow et al., 2022; Yin et al., 2023).

Here, following a camera-trap monitoring program of cave-dwelling bats in the Republic of Congo, we report and describe, to our knowledge, the first recorded visual observations of rusty-spotted genets consuming bats (active predation and potential scavenging inside and outside caves). We also present observations of rodent and insect consumption by genets. We describe and discuss the various behaviors in relation to the current state of knowledge on the feeding ecology of *Genetta* species and briefly elaborate on the potential impact of these feeding behaviors on pathogen circulation pathways.

## STUDY AREA AND METHODS

In September 2021, in the framework of a EBOSURSY project investigating the nonhuman animal and human interface and the associated risks of viral emergence, we started a monitoring program with camera traps to study the interactions between bat colonies and wildlife at two separate cave sites in the Republic of Congo (Figure 1) Mont Belo cave (4.1669° S; 12.9239° E), located in the department of Niari has one main chamber and two secondary chambers. Around Mont Belo cave, the habitat consists mainly of food crops and grassy savannah. Boundou cave (3.8916° S; 12.5573° E), located in the department of Bouenza consists of a main chamber and a secondary chamber which is not easily accessible by people due to a very narrow passage close to the ground. The habitat around Boundou cave is dominated by grassy savannah with patches of secondary forest. There is little human presence near the cave, with the first village 5 km away. In both caves, the presence of at least five species of
<figure><img src="image_3.png" /><figcaption>FIGURE 1 Study site in the Republic of Congo with Mont Belo and Boundou caves located approximately 50 km from one another.</figcaption></figure>

bats has been recorded using harp traps at different times of the year (*Miniopterus* sp., *Rhinolophus* sp., *Hipposideros* sp., and *Roussettus aegyptiacus*) (M. Labadie, personal observations, 2021–2023).

In total, nine Moultrie M50 cameras (Moultrie, Birmingham, USA) (five at Boundou cave and four at Mont Belo cave) were placed to cover the entrance of each cave. We also placed at least one camera inside the main chamber to observe the behavior of wildlife inside the caves housing the bat colonies. From October 2021 to March 2023, we recorded wildlife activities at each cave for an average of 18 days every month. Cameras were set to take a photo and a 30-s video after each trigger. Camera sensitivity was set to maximum and a delay of 5 min between two detections was selected.

The detection of genet presence in pictures was initially carried out using the Megadetector software (Beery et al., 2019; Fennell et al., 2022) and all the corresponding videos were viewed by only one of the authors (Morgane Labadie). Following this first viewing, recordings showing feeding behaviors were extracted and analyzed. The interpretation of genet behavior on the videos of interest was carried out independently by two observers including an expert in small carnivores (Morgane Labadie and Emmanuel Do Linh San).

Three species of genets have so far been reported in the Republic of Congo, namely the rusty-spotted genet, servaline genet (*Genetta servalina*) and king genet (*Genetta poensis*), while the presence of crested genet (*Genetta cristata*) is uncertain (see appendix ES1 in Do

Linh San et al., 2013). Of these, only rusty-spotted and servaline genets were detected at the study site. Both species lack the presence of an erectile mid-dorsal crest and display a broad intraspecific variation in coat coloration and spot and tail ring patterns (E. Do Linh San, personal observation). However, the former can generally be visually differentiated from the latter by a combination of morphological features: the presence of a limited number of large dark or rusty blotches (of round or square shape) in the first two dorsal rows; legs that are generally pale in color; a lower number of pale rings on the tail; and the tail tip is dark and appears elongated (Gaubert et al., 2008). For videos with poor quality or that were very dark, we used the software Vegas Pro (Magix Software, Berlin, Germany) to increase quality and/or brightness.

## RESULTS

In total, over a period of 2 years, in Boundou cave, we recorded 1053 genet detections (corresponding to 56% of mammal detections, excluding bats), with 634 inside the cave and 419 at the cave entry. The genets were the only mammals present that were caught by the cameras displaying predatory behavior in Boundou cave. In contrast, at Mont Belo cave, we detected the presence of genets only seven times outside the cave, and no genet was ever filmed in the cave. The species detected at Mont Belo has been identified as the servaline genet (recorded
by video moving outside the cave) and the species present at Boundou as the rusty-spotted genet.

Feeding behaviors of genets were observed in Boundou cave only. Inside that cave, we recorded two cases of predation on bats, two others where it was not possible to distinguish between bats and rodents (due to the poor quality of the video and the angle), one attempt of hunting behavior on bats and three feeding events on insects. Table 1 lists the corresponding video files and summarizes the behaviors observed. All these events took place at night between 03:00 am and 06:00 am.

The first video (Video S1) shows an adult genet with its back facing the camera, eating a relatively large prey that is light in color. The individual could potentially be eating a rodent or a bat (Video S1). The second video (Video S2) again shows a genet with its back facing the camera, actively searching around a rock and retrieving a prey with its mouth. The genet then turns toward the camera to eat the animal (most probably a bat, given the shape).

The unequivocal consumption of bats by rusty-spotted genets was observed during two different months (June and September 2022) inside Boundou cave (see Videos S3 and S4). Video S3 starts by showing an adult genet holding a bat (Figure 2) that appears dead in its mouth. It

then puts the bat back on the ground for a few seconds, before taking it back into its mouth and turning its back to the camera to consume the bat (see Video S3). The second consumption event shows the genet initially walking (with its back facing the camera) and then finding a bat lying on the ground (see Video S4). The animal then moves 1–2 m away from the initial site to eat it (see Video S4).

Video S5 shows a hunting attempt on bats by a genet outside Boundou cave. The event takes place on 26 January 2021, at 06:03 am, the time when bats enter the cave to rest before sunrise. We observe a genet sitting on a rock at the cave's main entrance, right in the middle of one of the passageways used by the bats to enter or leave the cave (the cave entrance is in the right-hand frame of the video, Video S5). On several occasions, the genet seems to attempt to catch bats flying close to it (Video S5).

Active predation on insects also took place on three different occasions (Videos S6, S7 and S8). In Video S6, a genet is rummaging in the leaf litter outside Boundou cave when it suddenly catches a ground insect before consuming it. The individual then moves around, while continuing to sniff the leaf litter. In Video S7, the genet

<table><caption>TABLE 1 Summary of videos from this study, metadata, observed behaviors, and additional comments.</caption><thead><tr><td>Video evidence</td><td>Video ID and location</td><td>Date and time</td><td>Behavior</td><td>Other comments</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Video S1</td><td>4842—Inside Boundou Cave</td><td>4 June 2022 at 05:45 pm</td><td>Consumption of a bat or rodent</td><td>Ignore the date in the video, the camera had the wrong date.</td></tr><tr><td>Video S2</td><td>8270—Inside Boundou Cave</td><td>27 January 2023 at 03:44 am</td><td>Consumption of a bat or rodent</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Video S3</td><td>5058—Inside Boundou Cave</td><td>19 June 2022 at 05:26 am</td><td>Consumption of a bat</td><td>Not clear whether the bat was killed or found dead.</td></tr><tr><td>Video S4</td><td>6118—Inside Boundou Cave</td><td>7 September 2022 at 03:55 am</td><td>Consumption of a bat</td><td>Not clear whether the bat was killed or found dead.</td></tr><tr><td>Video S5</td><td>2845—Outside Boundou Cave</td><td>26 January 2021 at 06:03 am</td><td>Hunting behavior toward bats flying around the genet</td><td>The rock where the genet sits is located at the entrance of the cave.</td></tr><tr><td>Video S6</td><td>4819—Outside Boundou Cave</td><td>20 May 2022 at 03:11 am</td><td>Predatory behavior on ground insects in the leaf litter outside the cave</td><td>Several bats flying around, but genet not paying attention.</td></tr><tr><td>Video S7</td><td>8144—Inside Boundou Cave</td><td>17 January 2023 at 04:35 am</td><td>Predatory behavior on ground insects in the guano litter inside the cave</td><td>High abundance of beetles on the ground. Several bats flying around, but genet not paying attention.</td></tr><tr><td>Video S8</td><td>8378—Inside Boundou Cave</td><td>3 February 2023 at 03:15 am</td><td>Predatory behavior on insects in the guano litter inside the cave</td><td>Very dark video.</td></tr></tbody></table>
appears to be searching for something on the cave floor (guano litter) before suddenly moving and catching a ground insect which is quickly consumed before moving elsewhere in the cave. The last video (Video S8, very dark) shows a genet coming rapidly into the camera's field of view, looking for something close to the ground before suddenly moving and quickly catching an insect with its two front legs. After eating it, the individual continues to move inside the cave in search of new prey (Video S8).

DISCUSSION

Our study is the first to record sequences of feeding behaviors of genets, namely rusty-spotted genets, on bats through predation and/or scavenging in Africa. We also recorded rodent and insect consumption inside and outside the cave. During each event filmed by the cameras, genets were active during the night period between 03:00 am and 06:00 am. These results are in line with the biology of the species presented by Fuller et al. (1990), with 70% of their activity taking place between 07:00 pm and 07:00 am. It is important to stress that we only detected a few feeding behaviors on bats, rodents and insects. However, it is quite possible that their frequency is underestimated due to camera angle (only 65% of the cave interior was covered by the camera), video quality and detection distance (notably for inside Mont Belo cave, where no genet was detected).

Genets are known to frequently include arthropods in their diet (Kingdon & Hoffmann, 2013; Skinner & Chimimba, 2005; Virgós et al., 1999), and three videos in this study prove this behavior (Videos S6–S8). However, we observed limited insect consumption despite their constant presence year-round in the cave guano. We can hypothesize that the insect species present at the time were not priority targets, or that the genet individuals that came into the cave had an opportunity of catching more nutritious prey such as bats or rodents. Our observations support Palmeirim and Rodrigues (1991), who reported that common genets (*G. genetta*) in South Portugal regularly hunt cave-dwelling bats, taking advantage of their roosting behavior.

Our data on the presence of genets in Boundou cave show that they were very active throughout the seasons, with at least two behaviors involving bat consumption and up to two cases of rodent consumption (Videos S1–S4). In addition, one video showed the hunting behavior of a genet at the entrance of the cave, precisely in the bottleneck where the bats pass to exit and reenter the cave (Video S5). The configuration of Boundou cave has three specific features that may both favor and facilitate the consumption of bats by genets: (1) rocky promontories that allow bats to reach significant heights, hence providing opportunities to hunt bats; (2) a narrow rocky neck that allows genets to hunt bats flying through that narrow space; and (3) a high concentration of bats per square meter at certain periods of the year, which forces some individuals to sleep very low on the walls and provides a regular and predictable amount of carcasses, as some bats naturally die while roosting. On

<figure><img src="image_4.png" /><figcaption>FIGURE 2 Putative scavenging behavior of a rusty-spotted genet (*Genetta maculata*) on a bat inside Boundou cave in the Republic of Congo (screenshot of Video S3).</figcaption></figure>
the contrary, Mont Belo cave has very high ceilings and no rocky promontories allowing access to the bat colony, which could be one of the reasons why we did not observe any genets inside the cave. At Mont Belo, as the servaline genet has not been observed using the cave for feeding, we can hypothesize that it does not seek food in this ecological niche.

One of our videos shows a genet potentially killing a bat on the ground (see Video S4). Normally, cave bats have no reason to be on the cave floor. The majority of bat species spend most of their lives perched upside down, clinging to surfaces using their hindlimbs, which have a digital tendon locking mechanism that does not require any energy expenditure (Quinn & Baumel, 1993; Schutt, 1993). The most likely hypotheses for the presence of a bat on the ground would be due to an injury, the weakness of the individual or an inexperienced young bat that has fallen.

We assumed that at least one identified bat consumption event (see Video S3) is a necrophagic behavior, as we had no prior record of genet hunting activity in the cave for the day of the event. The scavenging behavior of genets on dead bats in the cave raises a number of questions. The mortality of bats in their natural environment can be due to several factors such as (1) collision and/or injury, (2) natural death, (3) predation, and (4) diseases due to bacterial, viral, and parasitic infection (Gillette & Kimbrough, 1970; Mühldorfer et al., 2011; O'Shea et al., 2016; Wilson, 2015). Knowledge of mortality events and their frequency in cave bat colonies is incomplete. Recent studies have focused on the mortality rate of bats following the introduction of white-nose syndrome fungus into colonies (Hoyt et al., 2021; Langwig et al., 2017), but not on the mortality rate in healthy colonies. It is therefore difficult to estimate mortality rate in the caves in our study, even if the observation of bat carcasses in caves is quite common (M. Bourgarel, personal observation).

The scavenging behavior of genets can have two potential impacts on pathogen circulation in the ecosystem. Firstly, by consuming dead animals, many scavengers promote a “healthier” environment by removing the carcasses and thus, limit the spread of potential diseases, especially in communities that live in enclosed spaces (Vicente & VerCauteren, 2019). Secondly, it might facilitate the circulation of pathogens in the ecosystem. Indeed, some bat species are known or suspected to be maintenance hosts for pathogens, some of which are a risk for human populations (Brierley et al., 2016; Han et al., 2015; Smith & Wang, 2013). Scavenging could create a pathway for pathogen circulation between the bat host, to a bridge host, the genet, which then can continue the chain of transmission toward other hosts, including

humans. The latter step could be relevant, as genet consumption and the bushmeat trade in Congo and other West and Central African countries are sustained (Angelici et al., 1999; Gaubert et al., 2015; Lindsey et al., 2013). Given that the secretive and nocturnal lifestyle of bats limits direct contacts between bats and humans, the role of potential bridge hosts must be taken into consideration in the ecology of bat-borne diseases. So far, bridge hosts have been demonstrated for Hendra virus and the role of horses; the initial emergence of Nipah virus and the role of the pig farm; some outbreaks of Ebola and the role of hunted or scavenged nonhuman primates; and the emergence of SARS-coronavirus and the presence of masked palm civets (*P. larvata*) in wet markets (Murray et al., 1995; Pulliam et al., 2011; Sanchez et al., 1999; Walsh et al., 2007; Wong et al., 2007). More recently, the bridge host role of masked palm civets has also been suspected in the emergence of SARS-COV-2 (Worobey et al., 2022).

In conclusion, our data confirm that rusty-spotted genets are opportunistic carnivores that can feed on a wide variety of prey in a single habitat, ranging from insects to small mammals. In Boundou cave, the wide availability and accessibility of bats seems to favor opportunistic predation behavior on bats. To evaluate whether genets' predatory and even scavenging behavior toward bats is limited or widespread, future studies could similarly make use of camera trap monitoring in other caves and countries, and/or collect genet feces from individuals living in the vicinity of these caves for diet analysis.

## AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS

Morgane Labadie conceptualized the study (equal contribution), led data curation, formal analysis, and methodology, and was also responsible for visualization and writing the original draft. Emmanuel Do Linh San equally contributed to conceptualization, formal analysis, investigation, and visualization, led species identification, and took the lead in writing the review and editing. Serge Morand provided supervision and contributed equally to writing the review and editing. Alexandre Caron shared supervision and writing review and editing responsibilities equally. Fabien Roch Niama supported funding acquisition, project administration, and writing review and editing. Guytrich Franel Nguilili supported data curation, while Tobi N'Kaya equally contributed to project administration and supported writing review and editing. Hélène Marie De Nys contributed equally to funding acquisition, supervision, writing review and editing, and project administration. Mathieu Bourgarel led funding acquisition, contributed equally to supervision, writing review and editing, and project administration.
## ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We would like to thank our main Congolese partners: the “Laboratoire National de Santé Publique de Brazzaville” (LNSP), the “Direction Générale de l’Élevage” (DGE) and the “Ministère de l’Économie Forestière” for their support in this project, their help with the fieldwork and the applications for the capture and ethics permits. Many thanks to the field team’s invaluable assistance with data collection (C. Bazola, N. Nguimbi, R. Dimoukissi, and R. Nguimbi).

## FUNDING INFORMATION

This study was funded by EBOSURSY Project “Renforcement des capacités et de la surveillance pour la maladie à Virus Ebola”, project number FOOD/2016/379-660. Morgane Labadie was funded by a doctoral grant from the same project, the Laboratoire National de Santé Publique de Brazzaville and Centre de Coopération International en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement, UMR ASTRE, Montpellier.

## CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

## DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Videos S1–S8 are available in supplementary material. A full analysis of this and other camera trap data has been the subject of another article.

## ORCID

Morgane Labadie https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7012-5696

Emmanuel Do Linh San https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6513-5665

Serge Morand https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3986-7659

Alexandre Caron https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5213-3273

Fabien Roch Niama https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3843-9396

Hélène Marie De Nys https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2942-4531

Mathieu Bourgarel https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9774-7669

## REFERENCES

Ahumada, J. A., J. Hurtado, and D. Lizcano. 2013. “Monitoring the Status and Trends of Tropical Forest Terrestrial Vertebrate Communities from Camera Trap Data: A Tool for Conservation.” *PLoS One* 8(9): 6–9. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0073707.

Angelici, F. M., and P. Gaubert. 2013. “*Genetta maculata* Large-Spotted Genet (Blotched Genet).” In *The Mammals of Africa. Volume V: Carnivores, Pangolins, Equids and Rhinoceroses*, edited by J. Kingdon and M. Hoffmann, 232–36. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Angelici, F. M., P. Gaubert, and E. Do Linh San. 2016. “*Genetta maculata*. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016.” https://doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41699A45218 948.en.

Angelici, F. M., L. Luiselli, E. Politano, and G. C. Akani. 1999. “Bushmen and Mammal-Fauna: A Survey of the Mammals Traded in Bush-Meat Markets of Local People in the Rainforests of South-Eastern Nigeria.” *Anthropozoologica* 19: 51–58.

Azzaroli, L., and A. M. Simonetta. 1966. “Carnivori Della Somalia Ex Italiana: Ricerche Sulla Fauna Della Somalia Promosse Dall’Istituto Di Zoologia e Del Museo Zoologico Dell’Università Di Firenze: XXII.” *Monitore Zoologico Italiano. Supplemento* 1(1): 102–195. https://doi.org/10.1080/03749444. 1966.10736741.

Beery, S., D. Morris, and S. Yang. 2019. “Efficient Pipeline for Camera Trap Image Review.” *arXiv: 1907.06772*. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.1907.06772.

Borremans, B., C. Faust, K. R. Manlove, S. H. Sokolow, and J. O. Lloyd-Smith. 2019. “Cross-Species Pathogen Spillover across Ecosystem Boundaries: Mechanisms and Theory.” *Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, B: Biological Sciences* 374(1782): 20180344. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb. 2018.0344.

Brierley, L., M. J. Vonhof, K. J. Olival, P. Daszak, and K. E. Jones. 2016. “Quantifying Global Drivers of Zoonotic Bat Viruses: A Process-Based Perspective.” *American Naturalist* 187(2): E53–E64. https://doi.org/10.1086/684391.

Brookes, V. J., O. Wismandanu, E. Sudarnika, J. A. Roby, L. Hayes, M. P. Ward, C. Basri, et al. 2022. “A Scoping Review of Live Wildlife Trade in Markets Worldwide.” *Science of the Total Environment* 819: 153043. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv. 2022.153043.

Caron, A., M. Bourgarel, J. Cappelle, F. Liégeois, H. M. De Nys, and F. Roger. 2018. “Ebola Virus Maintenance: If Not (Only) Bats, What Else?” *Viruses* 10(10): 549. https://doi.org/10.3390/ v10100549.

Caron, A., J. Cappelle, G. S. Cumming, M. De Garine-Wichatitsky, and N. Gaidet. 2015. “Bridge Hosts, a Missing Link for Disease Ecology in Multi-Host Systems.” *Veterinary Research* 46(1): 83. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13567-015-0217-9.

Carpenter, G. 1970. “Some Observations on the Rusty Spotted Genet (*Genetta rubiginosa* zuluensis).” *The Lammergeyer* 11: 60–63.

Carvalho, F., T. Matolengwe, D. Camps, P. Gaubert, and E. Do Linh San. 2016. “A Conservation Assessment of *Genetta genetta*. In *The Red List of Mammals of South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho*, edited by M. Child, L. Roxburgh, E. Do Linh San, D. Raimondo, and H. Davies-Mostert, 1–7. Pretoria and Johannesburg: South African National Biodiversity Institute and Endangered Wildlife Trust. https:// h8l0bb.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ 15.-Small-spotted-Genet-Genetta-genetta_LC.pdf

Costa-Pinto, A. L. 2020. “First Record of Natural Predation on Bats by Domestic Cat in Brazil, with Distribution Extension for *Phyllostomus discolor*.” *Oecologia Australis* 24: 242–48. https:// doi.org/10.4257/oeco.2020.2401.24.

Currylow, A. F., M. F. McCollister, G. E. Anderson, J. M. Josimovich, A. L. Fitzgerald, C. M. Romagosa, and A. A. Rhinoceroses, edited by J. Kingdon and M. Hoffmann, 232–36. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Yackel Adams. 2022. "Face-Off: Novel Depredation and Nest Defense Behaviors between an Invasive and a Native Predator in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA." *Ecology and Evolution* 12(2): e8639. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8639.

Do Linh San, E. 2022. "The World's Small Carnivores: Contentious Taxonomic Cases." In *Small Carnivores: Evolution, Ecology, Behaviour, and Conservation*, edited by E. Do Linh San, J. J. Sato, J. L. Belant, and M. J. Somers, 559–579. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118943274.app2.

Do Linh San, E., A. W. Ferguson, J. L. Belant, J. Schipper, M. Hoffmann, P. Gaubert, F. M. Angelici, and M. J. Somers. 2013. "Conservation Status, Distribution and Species Richness of Small Carnivores in Africa." *Small Carnivore Conservation* 48: 4–18.

Fennell, M., C. Beirne, and A. C. Burton. 2022. "Use of Object Detection in Camera Trap Image Identification: Assessing a Method to Rapidly and Accurately Classify Human and Animal Detections for Research and Application in Recreation Ecology." *Global Ecology and Conservation* 35: e02104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02104.

Fleming, P., P. Meek, G. Ballard, P. Banks, A. Claridge, J. Sanderson, and D. Swann. 2014. *Camera Trapping: Wildlife Management and Research*. Clayton: CSIRO Publishing.

Fuller, T. K., A. R. Biknevicius, and P. W. Kat. 1990. "Movements and Behavior of Large Spotted Genets (*Genetta maculata* Gray 1830) near Elmenteita Kenya (Mammalia Viverridae)." *Tropical Zoology* 3(1): 13–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/03946975.1990.10539446.

Gaubert, P. 2013. "Genus *Genetta* Genets." In *The Mammals of Africa. Volume V: Carnivores, Pangolins, Equids and Rhinoceroses*, edited by J. Kingdon and M. Hoffmann, 214–16. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Gaubert, P., A. Chalubert, and G. Dubus. 2008. "An Interactive Identification Key for Genets and Oyans (Carnivora, Viverridae, Genettinae, *Genetta* spp. and *Poiana* spp.) Using Xper2." *Zootaxa* 1717: 39–50.

Gaubert, P., F. Njiokou, A. Olayemi, P. Pagani, S. Dufour, E. Danquah, M. E. K. Nutsuakor, et al. 2015. "Bushmeat Genetics: Setting up a Reference Framework for the DNA Typing of African Forest Bushmeat." *Molecular Ecology Resources* 15(3): 633–651. https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.12334.

Gaubert, P., P. J. Taylor, and G. Veron. 2005. "Integrative Taxonomy and Phylogenetic Systematics of the Genets (Carnivora, Viverridae, Genetta): A New Classification of the Most Speciose Carnivoran Genus in Africa." In *African Biodiversity*, edited by B. A. Huber, B. J. Sinclair, and K.-H. Lampe, 371–383. Boston, MA: Springer US.

Gillette, D. D., and J. D. Kimbrough. 1970. "Chiropteran Mortality." *Fondren Science Series* 1(11): 14.

Gossé, K. J., S. Gonedele-Bi, F. Justy, A.-L. Chaber, B. Kramoko, and P. Gaubert. 2022. "DNA-Typing Surveillance of the Bushmeat in Côte D'ivoire: A Multi-Faceted Tool for Wildlife Trade Management in West Africa." *Conservation Genetics* 23(6): 1073–88. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-022-01474-2.

Greenspoon, L., E. Krieger, R. Sender, Y. Rosenberg, Y. M. Bar-On, U. Moran, T. Antman, et al. 2023. "The Global Biomass of Wild Mammals." *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America* 120(10): e2204892120. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2204892120.

Han, H.-J., H.-L. Wen, C.-M. Zhou, F.-F. Chen, L.-M. Luo, J.-W. Liu, and X.-J. Yu. 2015. "Bats as Reservoirs of Severe Emerging Infectious Diseases." *Virus Research* 205: 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2015.05.006.

Hoyt, J. R., A. M. Kilpatrick, and K. E. Langwig. 2021. "Ecology and Impacts of White-Nose Syndrome on Bats." *Nature Reviews Microbiology* 19(3): 196–210. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-021-00493-5.

ICZN (International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature). 2007. "Opinion 2183 (Case 3204). *Viverra maculata* Gray, 1830 (Currently *Genetta maculata*; Mammalia, Carnivora): Specific Name Not Conserved." *The Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature* 64: 205–6.

Jennings, A. P., and G. Veron. 2009. "Viverridae (Civets, Genets, and Oyans)." In *Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Volume 1. Carnivores*, edited by D. E. Wilson and R. A. Mittermeier, 174–232. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions.

Kasso, M., and M. Balakrishnan. 2013. "Ecological and Economic Importance of Bats (Order Chiroptera)." *ISRN Biodiversity* 2013: 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/187415.

Kingdon, J., and M. Hoffmann. 2013. *The Mammals of Africa. Volume V: Carnivores, Pangolins, Equids, Rhinoceroses*. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Kucera, T. E., and R. H. Barrett. 2011. "A History of Camera Trapping." In *Camera Traps in Animal Ecology: Methods and Analyses*, edited by A. F. O'Connell, J. D. Nicholls, and K. U. Karanth, 9–26. Tokyo: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-99495-4_2.

Kunz, T. H. 2013. *Ecology of Bats*. New York: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-3421-7.

Langwig, K. E., J. R. Hoyt, K. L. Parise, W. F. Frick, J. T. Foster, and A. M. Kilpatrick. 2017. "Resistance in Persisting Bat Populations after White-Nose Syndrome Invasion." *Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, B: Biological Sciences* 372(1712): 20160044. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2016.0044.

Lindsey, P. A., G. Balme, M. Becker, C. Begg, C. Bento, C. Bocchino, A. Dickman, R. W. Diggle, H. Eves, and P. Henschel. 2013. "The Bushmeat Trade in African Savannas: Impacts, Drivers, and Possible Solutions." *Biological Conservation* 160: 80–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2012.12.020.

Mallick, S., A. Hossain, and S. K. Raut. 2021. "Predators of the Bat *Pteropus giganteus* Occurring in West Bengal, India." *International Journal of Recent Scientific Research* 12(6): 42138–40.

Mas, M., A. López-Baucells, and A. Arrizabalaga. 2015. "Predation on Bats by Genets *Genetta genetta* (Linneaus, 1758): A Review." *Barbastella* 8: 5–11. https://doi.org/10.14709/BarbJ.8.1.2015.03.

Mickleburgh, S., K. K. Waylen, and P. Racey. 2009. "Bats as Bushmeat: A Global Review." *Oryx* 43(2): 217–234. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605308000938.

Molinari, J., E. E. Gutiérrez, A. A. De Ascença, J. M. Nassar, A. Arends, and R. J. Márquez. 2005. "Predation by Giant Centipedes, *Scolopendra gigantea*, on Three Species of Bats in a Venezuelan Cave." *Caribbean Journal of Science* 41: 340–46.

Mühldorfer, K., S. Speck, A. Kurth, R. Lesnik, C. Freuling, T. Müller, S. Kramer-Schadt, and G. Wibbelt. 2011. "Diseases
and Causes of Death in European Bats: Dynamics in Disease Susceptibility and Infection Rates." *PLoS One* 6(12): e29773. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0029773.

Murray, K., P. Selleck, P. Hooper, A. Hyatt, A. Gould, L. Gleeson, H. Westbury, et al. 1995. "A Morbillivirus That Caused Fatal Fisease in Horses and Humans." *Science* 268(5207): 94–97. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.7701348.

Oedin, M., F. Brescia, A. Millon, B. P. Murphy, P. Palmas, J. C. Z. Woinarski, and E. Vidal. 2021. "Cats Felis catus as a Threat to Bats Worldwide: A Review of the Evidence." *Mammal Review* 51: 323–337. https://doi.org/10.1111/mam.12240.

O'Shea, T. J., P. M. Cryan, D. T. S. Hayman, R. K. Plowright, and D. G. Streicker. 2016. "Multiple Mortality Events in Bats: A Global Review: Multiple Mortality Events in Bats." *Mammal Review* 46: 175–190. https://doi.org/10.1111/mam.12064.

Palmeirim, J., and L. Rodrigues. 1991. "Estatus y Conservación de los Murciélagos en Portugal." In *En:Los murciélagos de España y Portugal*, edited by J. Benzal and O. de Paz, 163–179. Madrid: Monografias Del ICONA. Colección Técnica.

Price, L. 2004. "An Introduction to Some Cave Fauna of Malaysia and Thailand." *Acta Carsologica* 33: 311–17. https://doi.org/10.3986/ac.v33i1.359.

Pulliam, J. R. C., J. H. Epstein, J. Dushoff, S. A. Rahman, M. Bunning, A. A. Jamaluddin, A. D. Hyatt, H. E. Field, A. P. Dobson, and P. Daszak. 2011. "Agricultural Intensification, Priming for Persistence and the Emergence of Nipah Virus: A Lethal Bat-Borne Zoonosis." *Journal of the Royal Society Interface* 9(66): 89–101. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2011.0223.

Quinn, T. H., and J. J. Baumel. 1993. "Chiropteran Tendon Locking Mechanism." *Journal of Morphology* 216: 197–208. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.1052160207.

Rautenbach, I. L. 1978. *The Mammals of the Transvaal*. Ecoplan Monograph No. 1. Pretoria: Ecoplan.

Ridley, H. N. 1898. "The White Snake of the Selangor Caves." *Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society* 31: 99–101.

Riols, C., and R. Nadal. 2018. "Noteworthy Predation on Bats by the Common Genet (*Genetta genetta*) in Southern France." *Journal of Bat Research & Conservation* 11: 61–66.

Roux, R., J. Zemouche, S. E. Blomsterberg, W. M. Strauss, Z. J. K. Madikiza, M. J. Somers, P. Gaubert, and E. Do Linh San. 2016. "A Conservation Assessment of *Genetta maculata*." In *The Red List of Mammals of South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho*, edited by M. Child, L. Roxburgh, E. Do Linh San, D. Raimondo, and H. Davies-Mostert, 1–7. Pretoria and Johannesburg: South African National Biodiversity Institute and Endangered Wildlife Trust. https://h8l0bb.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/16-Rusty-spotte d-Genet-Genetta-maculata_LC.pdf

Sanchez, A., T. G. Ksiazek, P. E. Rollin, M. E. G. Miranda, S. G. Trappier, A. S. Khan, C. J. Peters, and S. T. Nichol. 1999. "Detection and Molecular Characterization of Ebola Viruses Causing Disease in Human and Nonhuman Primates." *The Journal of Infectious Diseases* 179(Supplement 1): S164–S169. https://doi.org/10.1086/514282.

Schutt, W. A., Jr. 1993. "Digital Morphology in the Chiroptera: The Passive Digital Lock." *Cells, Tissues, Organs* 148(4): 219–227. https://doi.org/10.1159/000147544.

Scrimgeour, J., A. Beath, and M. Swanney. 2012. "Cat Predation of Short-Tailed Bats (*Mystacina tuberculata rhyocobia*) in Rangataua Forest, Mount Ruapehu, Central North Island, New Zealand." *New Zealand Journal of Zoology* 39: 257–260. https://doi.org/10.1080/03014223.2011.649770.

Shi, Z., and Z. Hu. 2008. "A Review of Studies on Animal Reservoirs of the SARS Coronavirus." *Virus Research* 133: 74–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2007.03.012.

Simmons, N. B., and A. L. Cirranello. 2023. "Batnames.org Species List 2023 Version 1.4." https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8136157.

Skinner, J. D., and C. T. Chimimba, eds. 2005. *The Mammals of the Southern African Sub-Region*, 3rd ed. Cape Town: Cambridge University Press.

Smith, I., and L. F. Wang. 2013. "Bats and Their Virome: An Important Source of Emerging Viruses Capable of Infecting Humans." *Current Opinion in Virology* 3: 84–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coviro.2012.11.006.

Tanalgo, K. C., N. Monfort, and A. C. Hughes. 2019. "Attacked from Above and Below: New Ethological Evidence on the Predation Strategies of Corvid and Varanid on a Cave-Roosting Bat." *Ethology Ecology and Evolution* 32: 596–610. https://doi.org/10.1080/03949370.2020.1771773.

Vicente, J., and K. VerCauteren. 2019. "The Role of Scavenging in Disease Dynamics." In *Carrion Ecology and Management*, edited by P. Olea, P. Mateo-Tomás, and J. Sánchez-Zapata, 161–182. Cham: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16501-7_7.

Virgós, E., M. Llorente, and Y. Cortésá. 1999. "Geographical Variation in Genet (*Genetta genetta*) L.) Diet: A Literature Review." *Mammal Review* 29: 117–126. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2907.1999.00041.x.

Walsh, P., T. Breuer, C. Sanz, D. Morgan, and D. Doran-Sheehy. 2007. "Potential for Ebola Transmission between Gorilla and Chimpanzee Social Groups." *The American Naturalist* 169: 684–89. https://doi.org/10.1086/513494.

Wang, L.-F., and B. T. Eaton. 2007. "Bats, Civets and the Emergence of SARS." In *Wildlife and Emerging Zoonotic Diseases: The Biology, Circumstances and Consequences of Cross-Species Transmission*, edited by J. E. Childs, J. S. Mackenzie, and J. A. Richt, 325–344. Berlin and Heidelberg: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-70962-6_13.

Widdows, C., P. Roberts, A. Maddock, F. Carvalho, P. Gaubert, and E. Do Linh San. 2016. "A Conservation Assessment of *Genetta tigrina*." In *The Red List of Mammals of South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho*, edited by M. Child, L. Roxburgh, E. Do Linh San, D. Raimondo, and H. Davies-Mostert, 1–6. Pretoria and Johannesburg: South African National Biodiversity Institute and Endangered Wildlife Trust. https://h8l0bb.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/17.-Cape-Genet-Genetta-tigrina_LC.pdf

Wilson, D. E. 2015. *Bats in Question: The Smithsonian Answer Book*. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution.

Wong, S., S. Lau, P. Woo, and K.-Y. Yuen. 2007. "Bats as a Continuing Source of Emerging Infections in Humans." *Reviews in Medical Virology* 17: 67–91. https://doi.org/10.1002/rmv.520.

Worobey, M., J. I. Levy, L. M. Serrano, A. Crits-Christoph, J. E. Pekar, S. A. Goldstein, A. L. Rasmussen, et al. 2022. "The Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan Was the Early
Epicenter of the COVID-19 Pandemic.” *Science* 377(6609): 951–59. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abp8715.

Xu, R.-H., J.-F. He, M. R. Evans, G.-W. Peng, H. E. Field, D.-W. Yu, C.-K. Lee, H.-M. Luo, W.-S. Lin, and P. Lin. 2004. "Epidemiologic Clues to SARS Origin in China." *Emerging Infectious Diseases* 10(6): 1030–37. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1006.030852.

Yin, D., X. Li, R. Lorrilliere, Z. Han, K. Zhang, J. Yu, E. Mingju, and H. Wang. 2023. "A Case Report of an Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius) Attacking an Incubating Adult and Depredating the Eggs of the Japanese Tit (Parus minor)." *Ecology and Evolution* 13(3): e9931. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9931.

Yu, D., H. Li, R. Xu, and J. He. 2003. "Prevalence of IgG Antibody to SARS-Associated Coronavirus in Animal Traders-Guangdong Province, China, 2003." *MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report* 52(41): 986.

## SUPPORTING INFORMATION

Additional supporting information can be found online in the Supporting Information section at the end of this article.

**How to cite this article:** Labadie, Morgane, Emmanuel Do Linh San, Serge Morand, Alexandre Caron, Fabien Roch Niama, Guytrich Franel Nguilili, N’Kaya Tobi, Hélène Marie De Nys, and Mathieu Bourgarel. 2024. “Video of Rusty-Spotted Genets Consuming Bats and Other Prey: Behaviors Observed and Eco-Epidemiological Considerations.” *Ecosphere* 15(11): e70011. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70011