Picture a sneaky, slinky shadow darting through the African savanna, a nocturnal ninja with a knack for nabbing prime real estate on the move. This crafty critter isn’t just scampering through the grass—it’s catching rides on the biggest beasts around, like a furry freeloader hitching a lift on a living tank. With a face like a weasel and the rest like a cat that’s had one too many espressos, the common genet is the ultimate opportunist, turning the wild into its personal Uber service. Buckle up for a wild ride, like the common genet here in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.
Description of the Common Genet
Appearance: Slender body, spotted coat with a mix of gray, brown, or yellowish fur, and a long, ringed tail. They have large eyes, a pointed snout, and retractable claws.
Measure Up
Welcome to the beloved Measure Up segment. The official listener’s favorite part of the show! The part of the show when we present the animal’s size and dimension in relatable terms through a quiz that’s fun for the whole family. It’s also the part of the show that’s introduced by you when you send in audio of yourself saying, singing, or chittering the words Measure Up into ldtaxonomy at gmail dot com.
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Body length
40–55 cm (16–22 inches), with a tail nearly as long.
The Common Genet has a body length of 22 inches (55.9 cm). How many genets, laid end to end, fit into the length of these Saharan African objects?
Question: How many Common Genets fit into each object’s length?
A) 3 go into the length of a Tuareg takouba sword
B) 4 go into the height of a Saharan rock art giraffe
C) 2 goes into the length of a fennec fox
a) The length of a Tuareg takouba sword
The takouba is a traditional straight sword used by the Tuareg people of the Sahara, primarily in Mali, Niger, and Chad. A typical takouba blade is about 33.5 inches (85 cm) long, excluding the hilt.
b) The height of a Saharan rock art giraffe
The Dabous Giraffes, prehistoric rock engravings in Niger’s Ténéré Desert, are among the Sahara’s most famous petroglyphs. The larger giraffe measures about 17.7 feet (5.4 meters or 212.6 inches) tall.
c) The length of a fennec fox
The fennec fox (Vulpes zerda), a small nocturnal mammal native to the Sahara, has a body length of about 16 inches (40.6 cm), excluding its bushy tail.
Weight
1–3 kg (2.2–6.6 lbs).
The Common Genet weighs approximately 6.6 pounds (3 kg). How many genets fit into the weight of these Saharan African objects?
Question: How many Common Genets fit into each object’s weight?
A) 29 go into the weight of a Barbary sheep
B) 36 go into the weight of a Saharan ostrich
C) 3 go into the weight of a Tuareg camel saddle
a) The weight of a Barbary sheep
The Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia), a wild caprid native to the rocky mountains of the Sahara, weighs about 220 pounds (100 kg) for a large male.
b) The weight of a Saharan ostrich
The North African ostrich (Struthio camelus camelus), found in Saharan savannas, weighs around 220 pounds (100 kg) for an adult female, similar to the Barbary sheep but offering a different species.
c) The weight of a Tuareg camel saddle
Traditional Tuareg camel saddles, used by nomadic tribes in Mali and Niger, are crafted from wood and leather and weigh about 22 pounds (10 kg).
Fast Facts about the Common Genet
Genetta genetta, commonly known as the common genet or small-spotted genet, is a small carnivorous mammal native to Africa and parts of Europe and the Middle East. Here are some key facts:
- Taxonomy: Belongs to the family Viverridae, closely related to civets and linsangs, not cats, despite a superficial resemblance.
- Habitat: Found in diverse environments, including savannas, woodlands, scrublands, and even suburban areas. Native to sub-Saharan Africa, with populations in North Africa, southern Europe (e.g., Spain, France), and parts of the Middle East.
- Diet: Omnivorous but primarily carnivorous, feeding on small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and occasionally fruits or plants.
- Behavior: Nocturnal and arboreal, they are agile climbers and often hunt in trees. They are solitary except during mating or when raising young.
- Reproduction: Females give birth to 1–4 kits after a gestation of about 10–11 weeks. Kits are weaned at around 8 weeks and become independent after a few months.
- Communication: Use scent marking, vocalizations (hisses, mews, growls), and body language. They have scent glands to mark territory.
- Adaptations: Excellent night vision and keen senses make them effective hunters. Their spotted coat provides camouflage in dappled light.
- Conservation Status: Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN due to their wide range and adaptability, though habitat loss and hunting for fur or pest control can be local threats.
- Cultural Note: In some regions, they are kept as pets or used for pest control due to their rodent-hunting skills, though they are not fully domesticated.
Major Fact: Rhino Ride Sharing
- Common genets have been caught red-handed (or red-pawed?) hitching rides on rhinos and buffaloes, first documented in 2014 at a reserve in South Africa.
- They perch atop these megaherbivores like furry lookouts, using the height to spot prey like rodents flushed out by the lumbering giants.
- This behavior might give genets a vantage point to hunt, like a sniper in a tree, except the tree is a rhino and it’s moving.
- The same genet was identified in multiple photos thanks to its unique spot pattern, so it looks like it may be more of a learned behavior.
- Riding rhinos could help genets avoid predators like leopards or lions, who probably aren’t checking the roof of nature’s tanks for snacks.
- It’s not just a South African thing—Kenyan rangers caught a genet on a black rhino in 2023, showing this hitchhiking habit spans borders.
- Genets might also be scoping for ticks on their rides, but experts think that’s less likely since it’s a risky buffet for such a small meal.
- This behavior baffles scientists, as it’s energetically costly and dangerous—imagine trying to nap on a grumpy, horned couch.
Ending: So find a lumbering lyft, work smarter not harder, and grab your towel as you hitchhike across the savannah like the common genet here in LDT.