CARNIVORA

Carnivora Id code: amd101

Viverridae
Genetta angolensis

Bocage, 1882

(Eng) Angolan genet

(Fre) Genette d'Angola

Taxonomic notes

No significant taxonomic notes.

IUCN threat category

Not listed.

Available information

Almost nothing is known on the ecology of the species. Data available are mainly from Angola. Crawford-Cabral (1969, 1980-81, 1989) report on its distribution and briefly describe the habitat in which it seems to occur. General information on the species’ ecology is also found in Kingdon (1997).

Known extent of occurrence

The Angolan genet occurs from Angola, east and north-east to Tanzania and Mozambique (Wilson & Reeder, 1993). Fig. 3.6.4.a was obtained from Kingdon (1997) and revised by Dr. H. Van Rompaey (20 May 1997).

Categorical-discrete (CD) distribution model

The species occurs primarily in Miombo (Brachystegia) woodlands (Kingdon, 1997; Crawford-Cabral, 1980-81).

Based on these environmental preferences, the following scores were assigned (Fig. 3.6.4.a):

Score (*)
1	Miombo woodlands.
2	Dry woodlands and woodland mosaics.
3	Forests; grasslands; bushlands; croplands.
(*) Scores increased for vegetation types occurring inside a 1-km buffer around permanent water.

suitable		moderately suitable		unsuitable		Total
km²	%	km²	%	km²	%	km²	%
1 053 619	53	622 970	31	322 137	16	1 998 726	100

Tab 3.6.4.a: Cumulative size (km2) of areas pertaining to each environmental suitability class within the Extent of Occurrence.

	Number Patches (NP)	Mean Patch Size (MPS) km²	Patch Size SD (PSSD) km²	Largest Patch Index (LPI) %	Mean Shape Index (MSI)	Area-Weighted Mean Shape Index (AWMSI)
suitable	1 118	937	18 706	32.8	1.34	27.47
moderately suitable	2 019	312	4 002	8.5	1.4	16.01
Total AO	147	11 416	136 941	99.28	1.44	27.81

Tab 3.6.4.b: Area of Occupancy fragmentation indexes.

Probabilistic-continuous (PC) distribution model

The output of the probabilistic-continuous (PC) distribution model is shown in Fig. 3.6.4.c.

Validation

No occurrence of the species within the four sample areas.

Comments and conservation issues

The known EO of the species is classified as largely suitable: the total AO accounts for at least 84% of the EO. Although it appears highly fragmented (number of patches and MPS), comparing the LPI of the suitable, moderately suitable and total AO shows that the AO is basically one continuous patch, although dishomogeneous in its suitability (see the AWMSI). The less suitable areas appear to be in Angola. Limits of the EO in Zambia do not seem to match available areas and there are no biogeographic reasons or interspecific competition to justify their form; it might be useful to research the true distribution limits there further. About 10% of the total AO is included in the existing protected areas, but the species is not endangered.

SUITABILITY CLASS	inside	outside	Total
suitable	5.28	47.43	52.71
moderately suitable	3.86	27.30	31.17
unsuitable	2.60	13.52	16.12
Total	11.74	88.26	100

Tab 3.6.4.c: Percent of environmental suitability classes within EO (as obtained from the categorical-discrete distribution model) inside and outside the protected areas.

References

Crawford-Cabral J. (1969). As genetas de Angola. Boletim do Instituto de Investigacao Cientifica de Angola: Sep. 6(1), 7-40.

Crawford-Cabral J. (1980-81). The classification of the genets (Carnivora, Viverridae, genus Genetta). Bolm Soc. port. Cienc. nat.: 20, 97-114.

Crawford-Cabral J. (1989). Distributional data and notes on Angolan carnivores (Mammalia: Carnivora). I - Small and median-sized species. Garcia de Orta, Série de Zoologica: Lisboa 14(2), 3-27.

Kingdon J. (1997). The Kingdon field guide to African Mammals. Academic Press, London and New York: Natural World.

Wilson D.E., Reeder D.M. (Eds) (1993). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.