Genetta genetta is a small carnivorous mammal known as the common genet and Gineta in Spanish. It is native to Africa, and has been introduced to parts of Europe. It is a member of the Viverridae family, which also includes civets and meerkats. They have a slender body, short legs, and a long tail, and are usually gray or brown in color with black spots or stripes. They are primarily active at night and feed on small animals such as rodents and insects.
Not native to Spain, it is considered an alien species. It is thought to have been introduced to the Mediterranean region from Maghreb as a semi-domestic animal about 1,000 to 1,500 years ago. It spread naturally from the Iberian Peninsula to the Balearic Islands and southern France. They are found mainly in the Mediterranean area, such as Cataluña, Valencia and Murcia. However, it is important to note that the population and distribution of this species in Spain is not well known, and their presence may be underestimated.
Genets are primarily solitary animals, though male and female ranges may overlap. Individuals of the same sex have exclusive territories. They are nocturnal and only rarely appear during the day so the only time you may see one are in the headlights of a car at night time on a quiet country road.
Further reading
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_genet
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I’ve been living in western Andalucía for more than 20 years and spend much of my time researching and running English-language travel websites about Spain. My work covers destinations including Cádiz, Ronda, Grazalema and the Caminito del Rey, as well as Wildside Holidays, which focuses on walking, wildlife and nature travel in Spain.
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