Fun Giant Forest Genet Facts For Kids
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A giant forest genet (Genetta victoriae), also called the giant genet, is one of the well-known mammals of Africa.
It is endemic to the great Congo Basin and classified under the Genetta genus of the Viverridae family. These cat-like animals are identified by their long, ringed tail, a thick coat of yellow-colored fur with numerous black spots, and whitish fur on their forehead and top of the muzzle, with a black median line.
Giant forest genet size measurements are 22-24 in (55-60 cm) from the head to the body, and the tail itself is 16-19 in (41-49 cm) long.
The giant forest genet (Genetta victoriae) is listed as a Least Concern species by the International Union For Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Though the exact population trend is yet unknown, a good number of genets die every year due to hunting, and loss of habitat.
Keep on reading to learn more amusing facts about genet. If you want to learn more about other animals, then check out these small Indian mongoose facts and Somali cat facts.
Giant Forest Genet Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a giant forest genet?
A giant forest genet (Genetta victoriae) is a species of genets, from the Genetta genus of the Viverridae family. Genetta victoriae is native to the Congo Basin region of Africa.
What class of animal does a giant forest genet belong to?
Giant genet, also known as Genetta victoriae, belongs to the Carnivora order of the Mammalia class of the Animalia kingdom.
How many giant forest genets are there in the world?
In the International Union For Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, this species of genets is listed as a Least Concern species, as they are vastly distributed throughout their range and are one of the most interesting mammals of Africa. However, the exact strength of the Genetta victoriae population is yet unknown.
Where does a giant forest genet live?
Genetta victoriae, this Genet species primarily lives in the great Congo Basin, of Africa. This terrestrial animal is spotted in countries, such as Congo, the Democratic Republic of Rwanda, and Uganda.
What is a giant forest genet's habitat?
A giant forest genet lives in the lowlands and rainforests, of the great Congo Basin, which is located within 5905.5 ft (1800 m) above sea level. In the year 2006, two giant forest genets were identified as habitants of the deciduous forest.
A great population strength was spotted in the Kisangani and Buta regions, and on the other hand, their population is scarce in the regions between the Enano and Uma rivers.
Who do giant forest genets live with?
A giant genet is known to be a solitary creature and forms a pair during their mating season.
How long does a giant forest genet live?
A common genet, another species of genets, lives in the wild for 8-20 years, depending on their nutrition and habitat. However, due to scarcity of data, the exact lifespan of a giant genet is yet unknown.
How do they reproduce?
The mating season of a genet depends on the climate of their range and their species. In general, the gestation period of all genet species lasts about two to two and a half months. On average, a female giant forest genet gives birth to one young per clutch.
The kittens develop their ears and eyes at the age of one to two weeks and learns to hunt on their own, after seven months.
What is their conservation status?
The giant forest genet (Genetta victoriae) is listed as a Least Concern species in the International Union For Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
Giant Forest Genet Fun Facts
What do giant forest genets look like?
The body of a giant genet or a giant forest genet is covered with thick fur, colored in yellow, with numerous black spots, similar to a leopard. They have whitish fur on their forehead and top of the muzzle, with a black median line.
Their long legs match their semi-arboreal lifestyle and are considered as an adaptive trait of this genet species.
*Please note that this is an image of a common genet, not a giant genet. If you have an image of a giant genet, please let us know at hello@kidadl.com.
How cute are they?
A giant genet is undeniably cute, due to its cat-like structure, with a gorgeous tail and leopard-like spots on its body!
How do they communicate?
Apart from aural and visual methods of communication, very little is known about how giant forest genets (Genetta victoriae) communicate with each other. However, they mark their territories using their scent, and females attract males using pheromones.
How big is a giant forest genet?
According to the museum specimen sent, a giant forest genet is 22-24 in (55-60 cm) in body length and their gorgeous tails are 16- 19 in (41-49 cm) long. The giant genet (Genetta victoriae) is a miniature, in front of an African wild dog, which has an amazing body length of 28-44 in (71-112 cm).
How fast can a giant forest genet run?
These terrestrial carnivores are known as efficient climbers and runners. However, the exact speed at which a giant genet runs is yet unknown.
How much does a giant forest genet weigh?
According to the museum specimen sent, a giant forest genet weighs around 5.5-6.6 lb (2.5-3 kg). A male giant genet is known to be slightly heavier than females.
What are the male and female names of the species?
There are no particular sex-specific names given to the giant genet species.
What would you call a baby giant forest genet?
A newborn giant forest genet is called young or kitten.
What do they eat?
These carnivores feed on carrions, insects including termites, various rodents, mice, insects, and small reptiles. However, a giant forest genet (Genetta victoriae) also consumes a herbivorous diet including bananas, Pumbaa fruits, and oil palm foods. In captivity, they are fed milk, rice, bananas, and rodents to fulfill their protein requirement.
Are they dangerous?
A giant genet is not aggressive, in general. However, they possess sharp claws, which may cause mild to severe injuries, if not handled properly.
Would they make a good pet?
A giant forest genet (Genetta victoriae) is a wild animal, though some brave hearts keep them as pets. It is also illegal to own them as pets in some regions. Therefore, it's certainly not a good idea to keep them as pets.
Did you know...
A giant forest genet erects its tail when it is cornered or angered.
Giant genet vs. common genet
Belonging to the same genus, a giant genet (Genetta victoriae) and a common genet (Genetta genetta) have more similarities than differences. However, the common genet is the only genet species, found in Europe, whereas the giant genet is endemic to the Congo Basin.
Is a genet a feline?
In general, animals with cat-like features are called felines. Scientifically, a feline is a member of the Felinae subfamily of the Felidae family. Whereas, a giant genet (Genetta victoriae) belongs to the Viverridae family. Biologists have graded them as Feliformia, or cat-like predators.
How to pronounce genet?
The word genet is pronounced as a combination of 'zhuh' and 'nay'. Now, repeat it out loud. Easy, right?
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these liger facts and fox facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable giant forest genet coloring pages.
*Please note that this is an image of a common genet, not a giant genet. If you have an image of a giant genet, please let us know at hello@kidadl.com.
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