What is a genet?
All live exclusively in Africa except for the widespread Common Genet (Genetta genetta), which inhabits diverse habitats and can be found in Northwest Africa and Southwestern Europe (in the Mediterranean zone, from the Iberian Peninsula to France), parts of the Middle East, and the Balearic Islands. Habitat tolerance varies widely between species as different species prefer woodlands, savannas, and forests.They prefer to live in areas with dense vegetation, such as bushes, thickets, and evergreen oak forests.
In Europe, genets thrive in oak and pine forests, but also live in olive groves, riparian zones, ash groves, rocky areas, and shrublands. The common genet is rare in open areas, marshes, and cereal croplands. Despite their abundance along watercourses, presence of water is not essential. Common genets prefer to live at low altitudes, especially in northern areas. Genets also prefer areas with high temperatures and low rainfall.Genets tolerate close proximity to humans.[
Why all this information on genets?One was seen coming back from La Contie the other evening and it was caught in the car headlights long enough for John and Sheila Taylor to note the identifying points, spots and a long curled tail.
This is the second sighting in the area as a friend reported to me a few months ago that all her chickens had been killed and she had seen a cat which on looking it up turned out to be a genet. She has now given up keeping chickens as they were becoming the food source for the genets.These cat like creatures can have a territory of many hectares so a run down from La Contie to Mas del Sol and then Druilhe is a mere stroll for these cats. Watch out Henny and Penny not just for foxes but for the genet.Google them for pictures.Unless one of our photographers has one? [There has also been a sighting at le Riols]. I think the body shape is a bit like a ferret and further reading tells me in Europe they tend to catch chickens from farms with a quick bite to the neck.
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