VIDEO: Glen Hills couple delighted with night-time garden guest, a genet
Sarah Walker said that the cat-like creature fed on flying ants for about 10 to 15 minutes.
A GLEN HILLS couple had a surprise visitor in their garden on Monday night after a Large Spotted Genet stopped outside their sliding door to munch on flying ants.
Sarah Walker and her fiancé, Dean Rice, were sitting in the lounge of their home on Harrison Drive when they spotted the cat-like creature.
“We were watching TV, and I saw a long black-and-grey tail go past the window. I thought, ‘That’s too long to be a cat’s tail,’ and then, before long, the genet had stopped in front of the glass sliding door and was catching flying ants. He chilled there for about 10 to 15 minutes before moving off. We were taking photos and a few videos, and he seemed unfazed,” Walker explained.
Glen Hills resident Sarah Walker sent us this cute video of a large Spotted Genet feeding on flying ants outside her sliding door.
At the time, she did not know what the creature was and reached out on a community WhatsApp group for answers. pic.twitter.com/IoGK2ZIJmL
— Northglen News (@northglennews) October 29, 2024
“Initially, I didn’t know what the creature was, and I posted it on our WhatsApp group, and everyone responded saying it was a genet. It really felt like community vibes with everyone saying how lucky we were and reacting in such a positive way. With all the excitement, we see now how rare it is for residents in the area to see one, and we consider ourselves quite lucky,” she said.
Conservation manager at Beachwood Mangroves Nature Reserve Basil Pather explained that the Large Spotted Genet is a solitary species.
“They are nocturnal animals and hunt geckos, birds and other bugs, like flying ants or termites, because they are high in nutrition. You often find them close to bushy or wooded areas for shelter, which are essential parts of their habitat requirements. We often see them come out at night at the reserve to scavenge after someone has had a braai. It is very lucky to see them, and it’s great to see we have a healthy ecosystem that they are thriving in,” he said.
Pather added that the Large Spotted Genet is found across KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.
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