Genetta genetta
Silhouette: Pearson Scott Foresman (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
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 |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Small-spotted Genet sighting in Ngorongoro Conservation Area on a given day, based on 21 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 26th most-seen of the 37 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February, April and November
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Northern Small-spotted Genet in Ngorongoro Conservation Area on a given day, against under 5% in May and July–August, the lowest months. Those are among Ngorongoro Conservation Area's wettest months, with about 140 mm of rain a month against almost none in July.
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.
6th of 12
Of the 12 parks where we can rate Northern Small-spotted Genet sightings, Ngorongoro Conservation Area ranks 6th at about 20%. 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 Ngorongoro Conservation Area (order Carnivora, Carnivorans) are Lion (about 80%), Spotted Hyena (about 70%) and African Golden Wolf (about 60%), 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 Ngorongoro Conservation Area (21 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.
