Simon Barnes Author and Journalist

Sports and Wild Blog

Simon Barnes
  • Home
  • Biog
  • Blog
  • Books
  • Pictures
  • Contact
  • Twitter

How to spot a genet

7 November 2016 by Simon Barnes 5 Comments

October 24

But the fact of the matter is that you can’t spot a genet. That’s because they’ve already been spotted. In the Luangwa Valley the large-spotted genet is the prevailing species, though their scientific name is much more charming: Genetta tigrina.

Take a night-drive in the Valley. It’s a rare night when you don’t spot a spotted genet. On sheer charm they beat everything else the bush can offer: slinky, pink-nosed, sinuous, busy, bright-eyed and of course, seriously spotty.

Wait till dark, switch on your spotlight, beam it about in the manner of a light-house as your vehicle chugs slowly across the wooded savannah: and bingo! The eye-shine from the crotch of a tree or from the base of bush gives it away. Sometimes they streak away from you in a sleek winking of spots; at other times they stare back with cat-like impertinence.

Not cats at all, though they look like them: they’re actually viverids, related to civets and mongeese (preferred plural). They’re adroit climbers with the feverish activity that’s a family trait, and they eat small mammals, quite big birds, large insects, fruit and even the flowers and sweet nectar of sausage trees. Not fussy feeders, then, and successful wherever you find trees.

I met a pet genet once. It was lovely to be close to so lovely a thing. As he got wilder he used his home less and less and eventually set off to seek his fortune, I hope with immense success.

We returned to camp in the dark with our newly-arrived guests rather beaten up after their long flight. But the genets came out to charm them: to tell them that the Valley and all its rich gifts were now available. And as always with my first genet of the trip, I thought to myself: it’s worth it just for you.

Share this:

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Posted in Wildblog

Comments

  1. Edward Selfe says

    7 November 2016 at 3:13 pm

    Lovely to read someone writing so elegantly about subjects I know so well!
    Edward Selfe

    Reply
  2. diannehofmeyr says

    7 November 2016 at 10:02 pm

    Genet is such a perfect name for them. Conjures up garnets or gems of the dark.

    Reply
  3. John says

    7 November 2016 at 10:16 pm

    But don’t forget genets are not uncommon in Spain and even much of France. Well worth spot lighting for

    Reply
  4. Anthony Bird says

    8 November 2016 at 10:13 am

    Thank you for 5 minutes of peace and serenity in a seemingly ever crazy world.

    Reply
  5. Xander Shipp says

    24 November 2016 at 6:11 pm

    I absolutely agree with you, Mr Bird

    Reply

Please leave a comment Cancel reply

Receive Blog Updates By Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to my blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 6,287 other subscribers.

Recent Comments

  • Michael John Clark on Midsummer – it must be time for a swift drink
  • Sue on On the whole, stoats are better than work
  • Michael John Clark on On the whole, stoats are better than work
  • Elaine Slee on On the whole, stoats are better than work
  • Keith Owens on Midsummer – it must be time for a swift drink

Categories

  • Myblog (7)
  • Sportsblog (7)
  • Wildblog (217)

Archives

  • June 2022
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • July 2018
  • May 2018
  • February 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • June 2017
  • April 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014

© Simon Barnes · info@simonbarnesauthor.co.uk
Home page photograph © David Bebber · Bird drawings © foxillustration.com
Created by Purple Hippo