Genetta genetta
Silhouette: Pearson Scott Foresman (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The common genet (Genetta genetta) is a small viverrid indigenous to Africa that was introduced to southwestern Europe. It is widely distributed north of the Sahara, in savanna zones south of the Sahara to southern Africa and along the coast of Arabia, Yemen and Oman. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
The common genet has a slender, cat-like body, a small head with a pointed muzzle, large oval ears, large eyes and well-developed whiskers up to 7 cm (2.8 in) in length. Its legs are short, with cat-like feet and semi-retractile claws. Its fur is dense and soft, and the coat is pale grey, with numerous black markings. The back and flanks are marked with about five rows of black spots, and a long black stripe runs along the middle of the back from the shoulders to the rump. There is also a black stripe on the forehead, and dark patches beneath the eyes, which are offset against the white fur of the chin and throat. The tail is striped, with anything from eight to thirteen rings along its length. Its body is 43 to 55 cm (17 to 22 in) long with a 33 to 52 cm (13 to 20 in) long tail. Males weigh an average of 2 kg (4.4 lb) and are about 10% larger than... Wikipedia →
Recording0:10
France · 2024
© Régis Hocdé · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:10
Spain · 2024
© natacha162 · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:11
France · 2026
© Marit de Haan · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waterberg Plateau Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 2 | Samburu National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 3 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 4 | Tsavo West National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 5 | Tsavo East National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 6 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 7 | Serengeti National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 8 | Tarangire National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 9 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 10 | Chobe National Park | 🇧🇼 Botswana | |
| 11 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 12 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lisbon | 🇵🇹 Portugal |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Selwo Aventura | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 2 | Faunia | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 3 | Terra Natura Murcia | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 4 | Molló Parc Aventura | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 5 | Marcelle Natureza | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 6 | Pyrénées Animal Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 7 | Zoológico de Concepción | 🇨🇱 Chile | |
| 8 | Jardín del Papagayo - Zoo de Aves | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 9 | Familiepark Harry Malter | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Small-spotted Genet sighting in Etosha National Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 33rd most-seen of the 37 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
November
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Small-spotted Genet in Etosha National Park on a given day, against under 5% in June, September and December–April, the lowest months. That is one of Etosha National Park's driest months, with about 10 mm of rain against 75 mm in January.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Northern Small-spotted 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.
9th of 12
Of the 12 parks where we can rate Northern Small-spotted Genet sightings, Etosha National Park ranks 9th at about 10%. The best odds are in Waterberg Plateau Park (Namibia, about 40%), Samburu National Reserve (Kenya, about 30%) and Cévennes National Park (France, about 30%).
Same order: Carnivora
The closest relatives of the Northern Small-spotted Genet that you can see in Etosha National Park (order Carnivora, Carnivorans) are Lion (about 70%), Spotted Hyena (about 60%) and Banded Mongoose (about 50%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Northern Small-spotted Genet is recorded against all the mammals logged in Etosha National Park (7 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
