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Common, or small-spotted genet - GENETTA GENETTA
Class: Animals with Milk Glands (Mammalia)
The Name "Genet": "Genet" comes from the Arabic word "jarnayt."
Location: Africa, Spain, and southern Arabia.
Habitat: Terrestrial. Savanna, arid areas, and scrub.
Description: The coat is long and coarse, pale gray or brown with a promiment black crest on the back formed by longer hairs. There are brown or black markings arranged in lines on the upper parts and flanks. The long tail, which is generally held in an extended horizontal position, has nine or ten dark rings and a white tip. This genet has relatively long legs and a short face. The five claws on each foot are retractile. The length of the head and body is 16 to 20 inches, with the tail about the same. The weight is about five pounds.
Behavior: This nocturnal creature spends the day in its burrow or among rocks. It is terrestrial and arboreal and moves easily in both environments; it can readily negotiate narrow and tricky paths. It preys on many species of mammals smaller than hares, and will often create havoc among poultry. It also eats snakes, lizards, and some fruits. It often eats only the head and breast of its victims and discards the rest. It lives alone or in pairs.
Reproduction: After a gestation period of about ten weeks, three or four young are produced in a litter. There are two litters per year. The young are probably weaned at about two months of age.
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