Ibiza common genet, Ibiza genet, European genet, Small-spotted genet
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. The Common genet has an erectile crest of hair from the shoulder to the base of the tail, a white tail tip, and black hind feet.
Common genets live in a wide range, including savanna parts of sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, the Mediterranean Islands, Arabia, Oman, and Yemen. They favor dry areas like Mediterranean woodland and rocky hills where crevices in the trees and rocks provide food, shelter, and security from predators. These animals tend to live where there is a plentiful supply of their favorite prey, the wood mouse.
Common genets are solitary creatures. Males and females have small home ranges, ranging in size from under 0.4 square miles (1 km2) up to as much as 0.8 square miles (2 km2). Preferring an independent style of life, their home ranges overlap, however. Fully nocturnal, they are extremely active under total darkness but rest during the day. They are good climbers but they spend the majority of their time down on the ground, only climbing trees to search for food or escape from danger. When they walk, they hold their bodies low to the ground, their tails horizontal. When traveling long distances, they generally follow roads, dry streambeds, or game tracks. Common genets communicate using body language and smell. Mothers and their young will call to each other, as well as communicate using olfactory and visual cues. They also produce various sounds to communicate. A mother and her babies exchange hiccup-like calls. Young genets will often purr and mew. When threatened, they make clicks and growls.
Common genets, being carnivorous, eat most small animals they can catch, such as mice, rats, insects, birds and small reptiles.
Little is known about the mating system of Common genets. The breeding season varies according to the region. In east, west, and southern Africa, Common genets breed in the wet seasons. In Europe and North Africa, they breed in spring and autumn. Typically between 1 and 4 young are born, after a gestation period of about 10 to 11 weeks. The young are blind and helpless when they are born. They start to eat meat at about 7 weeks old, being fully weaned by four months old. At 5 months, they are skilled enough to hunt on their own. At 19 months old, the young start marking, and they are thought to become reproductively mature when 2 years old.
The Common genet is currently not considered to be under serious threat. However, it is commonly hunted for its attractive fur in many countries, and in some areas is also hunted to be used in traditional ‘medicines’. Clearing of woodland for development may have some impact on this species, and domestic dogs kill them.
Common genet is the one of the most common and widely distributed small carnivores in its native range in Africa. In Europe, this species is moderately abundant. But no estimate of population size is available for this species. Currently the Common genet is classified by the ICUN as Least Concern (LC) and its numbers today remain stable.
Common genets help to control vermin populations, and, as they often live near a human community, this is of assistance as regards pest problems with crops.