Genetta tigrina
Silhouette: Margot Michaud · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The Cape genet (Genetta tigrina), also known as the South African large-spotted genet, is a genet species endemic to South Africa. As it is common and not threatened, it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Like other genets, it is nocturnal and arboreal, preferring to live in the riparian zones of forests, as long as these are not marshy areas.
The Cape genet is ash grey with brown irregular spots and a black stripe along the spine. Its muzzle is white, and it has white spots below the eye. Its ears are grey. Its tail is black and white banded with a black tip.
Some individuals living in areas with more than 375 mm (14.8 in) annual precipitation are darker than individuals from drier areas. Measurements of adult males range from 460 to 580 mm (18 to 23 in) in head and body with a 390 to 459 mm (15.4 to 18.1 in) long tail and a weight of 1.6 to 2.1 kg (3.5 to 4.6 lb). Adult females range from 427 to 560 mm (16.8 to 22.0 in) in head and body with a 385 to 432 mm (15.2 to 17.0 in) long tail and a weight of 1.36 to 1.870 kg (3.00 to 4.12 lb).
Like in all Viverrinae, its dental formula is: 3.1.4.23.1.4.2. Like all genets, it has musk glands and anal sacs... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cape Town | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Poznań Nowe Zoo | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 3 | Memphis Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Genet sighting in Cape Town on a given day, based on 11 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 21st most-seen of the 29 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March, July and September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Genet in Cape Town on a given day, against under 5% in April–June, August and October–February, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cape Genet sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Only Cape Town, in our data
Cape Town is the only city on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Cape Genet sightings: under 5% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Same order: Carnivora
The closest relatives of the Cape Genet that you can see in Cape Town (order Carnivora, Carnivorans) are Afro-Australian Fur Seal (about 30%), Cape Gray Mongoose (about 10%) and Caracal (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Cape Genet is recorded against all the mammals logged in Cape Town (11 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
