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A visitor at the fabulous Stanley house at Satara,the tail tip ending in white and the long black crest on it's back makes this a small-spotted genet,i also believe it's nose is much more pink.


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Yup... Definitely the Lesser-Spotted Genet.

We've had one in our garden in Murrayfield, Pretoria! Trying to attack a Bush Baby.

When we whent to the kruger park at satara we also saw this little guy he came and plonked himself in front of our randavel.

We have recently become aware of a small cat like creature that has taken up to living in our roof. I have searched the web endlessly looking for a look a like. I think I have finally found it - a genet !! I stay in Constantia Kloof, Roodepoort :-) We stay on the side of the "kloof" with lots of shrubs and bush below. I managed to take a photo tonight as I saw it when I was braaing meat. We then put minced meat out and it came onto the table and ate it.
My description of it would be - small cat like head - elongated, slinky body - spotted body - bushy tail with the black rings around the tail. It moves like lightning ! Am I right? Or if wrong, what do you think it might be? Looks sooo like the genet. Lois

Lois,

Welcome to the forums! Hope you'll have many an enjoyable moment.. what am I talking about, hour! - here.

Sounds from your description that you're right. Either small-spotted or large-spotted genet. The small/large being the size of the spots, not the animal.

Just one thing - please don't feed it and get it to become accustomed to and dependant upon getting food, and then becoming a problem! I know they're cute, but let it fend for itself. It is far better that way. Or at least give it natural food, such a worms and locusts. Or birds... Serious now. It should not become dependant and insistent.

A warm welcome to the forum Lois They are exceedingly cute. It is a pity that they have had their natural habitat reduced to such an extent.

Thanks so much for the input. I am a total nature loving freak - I absolutely love nature and animals. We also have a dassie that has been here forever, oh and some guinea fowl (my favourites) lots of bird life. I have a habit of feeding all of them

Is there any organization (wild life) that would come and capture for relocation? I would not like to see that some resident in the area hurts or kills it ! I thought if I fed it, I could keep it safe here with us

Thanks
Lois

Hi Louis,

I won´t do anything. Let the Genet be there. But honestly do not feed it in the long run you will benefit from. I have no clue if you have cats around your house ,if not be happy your mouse/rat problem is solved. As far as I know the<y will eat mice and rats, that mean you will defenatly have a lower number of Snakes, because the genet eat there food! You can enjoy the genet by looking at them. The only Problem that I see will be the dassies. Genets will also eat Dassies. But on the other hand that is nature!

Enjoy

But Please stop feeding animals. In kruger quite a high numer of Predators, mainly Hyeanas getting shot, because of begging for food. As you already said you love nature but with that behaivior you will destroy it! And i can imagine, that this is not your goal!


Best Regards


Malealea

Said hello to this guy out side our Bungalow at Satara in August 09

excellent pics! Love them....

I camped at Baviaans a few months back, just for teh night. Anyway, at just after midnight, one came down teh embankment, he knew we were there, but obviously no threat, he skulked past about 1.5m from us. It was one of those moments where you suddenly realise houses, industry, cars, buildings, trains, planes and all that should never have been invented, and we should be in bearskins lol