| NAME OF ANIMAL | DESCRIPTION |
| GENET | GENETS ARE LONG, LEAN CARNIVORES THAT APPEAR CATLIKE WITH A TAIL USUALLY AS LONG AS (IF NOT LONGER THAN) THE BODY. THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 14 SPECIES IDENTIFIED ALL OF WHICH VARY IN APPEARANCE AND HABITAT. THE SMALL-SPOTTED GENET, FOUND IN MORE ARID REGIONS, IS RECOGNIZED BY A PROMINENT DORSAL CREST RUNNING FROM SHOULDER TO TAIL. ITS SPOTS ARE ROUND AND ELONGATED. THE FOREST GENET LACKS A DORSAL CREST AND HAS A COAT WITH SPACED-OUT, ELONGATED SPOTS. THE LARGE-SPOTTED GENET HAS A SMALLER DORSAL CREST THAN ITS SMALL-SPOTTED RELATIVE AND IS THE MOST WIDELY DISTRIBUTED OF THE THREE SPECIES. ALL SPECIES HAVE RETRACTABLE CLAWS ADAPTED TO CLIMBING AND CATCHING PREY |
| MEASUREMENT | MALE | FEMALE |
| HEAD TO BODY LENGTH | MALE: 34-42 INCHES (86-106 CM) | 33-40 INCHES (84-101 CM) |
| SHOULDER HEIGHT | 18-25 CM | 18-25 CM ( SAME ) |
| TAIL LENGTH | 40-50 CM | 40-50 CM |
| WEIGHT | 3.3-5.5 LBS (1.5-2.5 KG) | 3.1-5.1 LBS (1.4-2.3 KG) |
| CHARACTERISTICS | DESCRIPTION |
| RANGE | THE LARGE-SPOTTED GENET IS NATIVE TO VARIOUS HABITATS ACROSS SOUTHERN AFRICA |
| HABITAT | WOODLANDS, GRASSLANDS, SCRUB FORESTS AND AGRICULTURAL AREAS IN SOUTH AFRICA |
| PRIMARY DIET | OMNIVORES |
| FOOD HABITATS | REPTILES, ARACHNIDS, AMPHIBIANS, BIRDS, FRUIT AND GRASS. |
| CONSERVATION STATUS | HABITAT LOSS AND FRAGMENTATION ARE SIGNIFICANT THREATS TO THE LARGE-SPOTTED GENET, PRIMARILY DRIVEN BY AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION, DEFORESTATION, AND INCREASING URBANIZATION |
| REASON FOR THE STATUS | REPTILES, ARACHNIDS, AMPHIBIANS, BIRDS, FRUIT, AND GRASS. |
| CHARACTERISTICS | DESCRIPTION: REPRODUCTION & BEHAVIOR |
| GESTATION PERIOD | ABOUT 75 DAYS |
| YOUNG PER BIRTH | 3 YOUNG |
| WEANING | 59 DAYS |
| SEXUAL MATURITY | START AT TWO YEARS OF AGE |
| BEHAVIOR | THIS IS A SOLITARY SPECIES, ONLY OCCURRING IN GROUPS DURING THE MATING SEASON. 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. |
| FOOD HABITS | HUMANS; PREDATORS SUCH AS SERVALS, CARACALS, LEOPARDS AND EVEN LARGE OWLS |
| LIFESPAN IN THE WILD | 10 YRS IN THE WILD |
| LIFESPAN IN CAPTIVITY | 20 YEARS |
