“There is a dead enet near the Tarentaal/Inyoni Creek entrance gate!” wrote wildlife enthusiast, photographer, and nearby resident Willie Milford in a text message to environmentalist Ria Milburn, a resident of Rand Aid Association’s Inyoni Creek retirement village, on 10 October.
At the busy intersection, the body of a small-spotted genet, or Kleinkolmuskejaatkat, (Genetta genetta), lay sprawled a few metres from the traffic lights after being struck by a vehicle.
The small-spotted genet is the more widely distributed of two genet species that occur in Southern Africa. Although their ranges overlap in some areas, the large-spotted genet (Genetta tigrina) prefers wetter areas on the eastern side of Southern Africa. Genets are nocturnal, usually solitary, hunters. During daylight hours, they sleep in holes in the ground made by other animals, on rocky outcrops, or sometimes even inside tree trunks. At night, they are generally seen foraging on the ground, but also climb trees to reach birds’ nests or insects. Their varied diet includes birds, rodents, frogs, reptiles, spiders, insects, fruit and even carrion.
“Unfortunately these little hunters have not endeared themselves to poultry farmers, because they also love chickens. The variety of food sources confirms the usefulness of the small-spotted genet not only in nature, but also to us as residents, especially with regards to rodents and moles. When cornered, the small-spotted genet can put on quite a ferocious display, spitting, growling and releasing a pungent, unpleasant odour from the anal glands,” Milburn revealed.
Genets are not endangered, but do come into increasing, and sometimes tense, contact with human beings, as growing urbanisation forces them to adapt to a city habitat. The shy, retiring animals are not considered a threat and often help keep pest populations under control.
“This unusual sighting is yet another reminder that we are living in a very special place where Rand Aid provided a sanctuary, not only for retired human beings but also for the remaining wildlife in the area,” said Milburn.
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