Large Spotted Genet - Kloof Conservancy BioGuide
Size 18 – 25cm to shoulder
Mass 1.5 – 2.5kg
Lifespan Uncertain – probably 5 - 8 years
The Genet is a small cat-like creature but is not in any way related to cats. 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.
Large-spotted genets are nocturnal and lie up and remain hidden during the day. They are good climbers and well adapted to an arboreal way of life but also spend time foraging on the ground. Normally solitary they are occasionally seen in pairs. Genets are carnivores although insects and fruit are a regular part of their diet. Excellent eyesight and their agility make them highly effective predators. They combine speed and stealth, stalking their prey in a series of dashes broken by short pauses. When stressed they emit a strong musky odour from their anal glands and this smell often indicates where they have urinated.
The bulk of their diet consists of rodents and other small mammals such as insectivores, whereas birds, snakes and amphibians are secondary prey. Invertebrates only make up a small portion of its diet. Will also ingest fruit.
Normally breeding takes place during the warmer months. The Large-Spotted Genet gives birth to an average of three young per litter after a gestation period of about 70 days. Indications are that the young remain in nests, made above ground, until they are weaned.
Eastern areas of southern Africa and into the south-western Cape to Cape Town. It is widely distributed throughout the rest of Africa. Inhabits savanna woodland, and fynbos in the Western Cape.
Well wooded and watered areas are preferred habitats, particularly forests and closed woodlands. Some dense vegetation for shelter and close proximity to water are essential habitat requirements.
As they spend much time in trees they are not vulnerable to predators but they have been recorded as prey of the Crowned Eagles.
In Kloof they are sometimes run over by vehicles or killed by domestic dogs
Large Spotted Genets have adapted remarkably well to urbanisation and are often seen in Kloof gardens and even in roofs where they enjoy the warmth of water geysers!
The term “large” in the name refers to the size of the spots and not the size of the animal – this is to distinguish it from the “small spotted” genet
Both species are of a similar size and the name refers to the size of the spots and not the size of the animals. The spots on the Small-spotted genet are slightly smaller and are totally black while on the Large-spotted Genet there is a rusty coloured centre in each spot. Another more noticeable difference is that the Large-spotted genet has a black tipped tail while the Small-spotted Genet has a white tipped tail.
Only the Large Spotted Genet is found in the Durban area.
Usayizi 18-25 cm amahlombe
Imisa 1.5 – 2.5kg
Ukuphila Ngaqondi kahle-mhlawumbe 5-8 weminyaka.
Umumo ngokongiwa Kuncane.
Insimba ikati elincane njengesidalwa kodwa ayihlobene nakancane namakati. Imizimba yazo futhi mincane. Zinemilenze emifishane nemisila emide. Uma zimile 18-25 cm ukuphakama kwamahlombe kanye nobude bomzimba obungu 80-110 cm kuhlangene nobude bomsila obungu 40-50 cm. Ubuso bazo bunokhondolo ngempumulo ende. Isikhumba sazo simakhwifikhwifi futhi zinezindilinga eziphambanisene ezifiphele kanye nezikhanyayo ezizungeze isisila.
Insimba enkulu emabalabala ahamba ebusuku abuye alale abuye zicashe emini. Anontela kalula futhi afanekisela kalula endleleni yokuphila emthini abuye achithe isikhathi egqwaba ezinkundleni. Ngokuvamile anesizungu zinokubonakala kakhulu ngazimbili. Izinsimba zidla inyama nakuba izilokazane nezithelo kuyingxenye evamile yokudla kwazo. Zinokubona okukhaliphile kanye nobungqwayi kwenza zibe ngeziphumelela kakhulu ekuzingeleni. Zihlanganisa ijubane kanye nokunyonyoba, ukucathamela ezikudlayo kwimihume yokubhaca ehlephukile ngezikhawu ezimfishane. Uma zelula zikhipha iphunga elinzima eliphuma kwindlala yazo futhi leliphunga livame ukubonakalisa lapho zichame khona.
Umthwalo wezikudlayo uphethe okuququdayo kanye nezinye izilwane ezincane ezincelisayo njengezilwanyakazane, izinyoni, izinyoka kanye nezilwane eziphila emanzini kuzinyamazane ezidliwayo. Okungenamgogodla kuphela kwenza umthwalo omncane ekudleni kwazo. Zingadla nezithelo.
Ngokuvama zizalela ngesikhathi sezinyanga ezifudumalayo. Insimba enkulu emabalabala izala isilinganiso sezintathu ezincane ngo kufuhluza. Emva kokumitha isikhathi esizinsuku ezingu – 70. Ukubonisa ukuthi ezincane zisala ezidlekeni, zakhe ngaphezulu indawo yaphansi, kuze kube zisuswa ebeleni.
Kuzindawo ezisempumalanga neningizimu Afrika kanye nakwiningizimu-ntshona Kapa kuya eDolobheni leKapa. Zinokwabelwa okusabalele maphakathi namaphethelo e-Afrika. Ahlala noma zakha ethafeni elinamahlathi, kanye namaqabunga acoyisekile eWestern Kapa.
Kuzindawo ezinahlathi namanzi akahle athanda ukuhlala kuzona, kakhulu amahlathi amakhulu nanezihlahla ezi sondelene. Ezinye kuzitshalo ezicinene ukusitheka kanye nokusondelana namanzi okufanelekile kuzidingo zendawo.
Njengaloku zichitha isikhathi esiningi emithini azinabungozi bokulimala kuzitha zazo kodwa zaqoshwa njengezinyama ya Crown Eagles. Ekloof kwesinye isikhathi agaywa zimoto noma zibulawe izinja zabahlali.
Insimba enkulu emabalabala zijwayeza ngokumangazayo kangcono isimo senhlalo yasedolobheni kanti zivame ukubonakala ezingadini zaseKloof ngisho naphezu kwezindlu lapho zijabulela ukufudumala kwamanzi esiphehli sashisayo.
Umkhawulo “ubukhulu” egameni elidlulisela esilinganisweni sebala kungesiso isilinganiso sesilwane-lokhu kuhlukanisa kusuka “kwenebala elincane” insimba.
Zombili izinhlobo zinesikalo esifanayo kanye negama elinikela isikalo sebala kungesona isikalo sezilwane. Amabala kwinsimba enebala elincane incanyane futhi imnyama ngokuphelele njengaloku insimba enebala elikhulu linombala ogqwalile phakathi nendawo ngalinye ibala. Omunye futhi umehluko oqaphelekayo ukuthi insimba enebala elikhulu linesihloko esimnyama emsileni kanti insimba enebala elincane inesihloko esimhlophe esisileni.
Insimba enebala elikhulu kuphela etholakala endaweni yase Thekwini.