An African carnivore that has not been spotted for 70 years has been captured on film for the first time, in the Udzungwa Mountains National Park in Tanzania.
Known as Lowe鈥檚 servaline genet, the three-foot long animal is a relative of the mongoose. It was previously known only from descriptions and a single skin collected by hunters in 1932.
The animal is named after the British explorer and naturalist Willoughby Lowe, who first recorded its existence. Lowe described the white facial spots and lighter feet and legs that distinguish it from other types of genet.
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Zoologists suspect that the animal is nocturnal and tree dwelling, like other species of genet. But nothing else is known about it.
Secretive group
鈥淐ompared to larger carnivores, the smaller species such as genets and mongooses are very poorly understood,鈥� says Daniella De Luca, who captured the picture while conducting a field study on behalf of the Bronx Zoo Wildlife Conservation Society, based in New York.
De Luca was conducting a survey of the park鈥檚 carnivores using remote camera traps. She now plans to return to the park to find out more about the animal鈥檚 habitat, behaviour and distribution. To do this she will interview local communities and study the region鈥檚 ecological characteristics in detail.
鈥淥ne of our aims is to shed more light on this important and secretive group of animals,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e now hope to find out more about the animal and thus help ensure its survival.鈥�