Genet Species Profile: The Spotted, Long-Tailed Night Climber

A genet looks like a cross between a cat and a mongoose, but it is neither. These small viverrids have a cat-like body with a long, ringed tail, and they slip through trees and across rooftops with a fluid, silent grace.

This profile covers identification, behaviour, diet and where to look. For the larger relative on the ground, read the African civet profile; for other small carnivores, see the mongoose and caracal profiles.

This guide is part of our animals of Uganda and East Africa guide. When you are ready to plan, see our Uganda safari packages or the Ameera Africa Safaris Uganda tours homepage.

Identification

Genets are slim and long-bodied, with short legs, a pointed face and large rounded ears. The coat is pale grey to cream or tawny, marked with dark spots that often run in lines, and the tail is long and banded with dark rings, usually ending in a dark or pale tip. A dark stripe runs along the spine. Several species occur in Africa, and telling them apart is hard in the field, with differences in tail tip colour, spot pattern and the crest. Most visitors simply enjoy seeing one as a genet, and guides can offer the likely species.

Which Genets Occur Here

In East Africa, the common genet and the large-spotted genet are among those you may encounter, along with other species in specific habitats. The common genet is usually paler and found in drier country, while the large-spotted genet, sometimes called the blotched genet, has bigger rust-brown spots and occurs in wetter areas and forests. Their ranges overlap, and both use trees and thickets. Species identification matters little for enjoyment, but you can ask your guide about the local variety.

Habitat and Range

Genets live in woodland, savanna with trees, forest margins, riverine thickets and gardens. They often shelter in tree hollows, rock crevices, thatch and roof spaces, which brings them close to people. Provided there is cover and prey, they do well. This is why many safari lodges have resident genets that visit verandas or dining areas at night, and why staff often point them out in the evening. They avoid open treeless plains and dense deserts.

Behaviour

Genets are solitary and nocturnal, hunting alone by stealth. They climb with retractable claws, balance with the long tail and may leap between branches. They stalk prey silently along the ground or in trees, and rest by day in a hole or thick cover. They mark territory with scent glands and droppings in set latrines. When threatened, they can arch their back, raise the crest and hiss. Their eyes reflect light brightly, helpful when you scan with a torch at night.

Diet

Genets eat small mammals, particularly rodents, as well as birds, eggs, reptiles, frogs, insects and fruit. They are skilled at catching roosting birds and at pouncing on mice in grass. Around farms and lodges, they help control rodents. Their varied diet makes them adaptable, but also exposes them to risks from poisons and traps. Seeds from fruit they eat are scattered in droppings, which helps forest regeneration in some areas.

Breeding and Threats

The female raises a small litter in a hole in a tree, rock or building, and she moves the young if disturbed. Predators include leopards, large owls and eagles, and pythons. People sometimes hunt or trap genets, and roadkill is a problem near busy roads. Habitat clearance can reduce suitable den sites. As a group, genets are not considered globally threatened, and their adaptability keeps them common around the edges of protected areas.

Where and How to See a Genet

Start with your own lodge. Ask staff whether genets visit the grounds and where, and check roof beams and tree forks with a torch after dinner. On guided night drives, look for the bright eyeshine low in vegetation or high in a tree, as described in night drives and walking safaris. Parks with after-dark options include the Masai Mara conservancies, Tarangire and Lake Mburo. Keep lights dim and avoid flash. See safari photography tips for low-light advice.

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Related Tours, Guides and Resources

• Ameera Africa Safaris homepage: Uganda safaris, tours and holidays
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• Uganda travel guide
• How to book a Uganda safari
• Plan your safari with our team