Last year, an African creature that behaves very much like a cat was seen riding atop buffaloes and rhinoceroses. Now, she’s at it again this year, but this time she’s been caught on camera.
Seen in the video below riding an endangered black rhino in South Africa’s Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve, the animal looks like a cat but is actually a genet, a spotted carnivore.
Wildlife ACT, which assists park rangers in monitoring endangered animals within the reserve, spoke about the footage released last week, commenting that this could be first time such behavior has been captured on video.
"This grumpy rhino certainly didn’t make things easy for our hitchhiking friend," the organization wrote.
The genet, now humorously named ‘Genet Jackson’ (after singer Janet Jackson) by Wildlife ACT, also has her own Twitter account.
The genet looks and somewhat behaves like a pesky feline, but it’s actually more related to civets and linsangs (viverridae family) than to cats.
I'm back!
Watch this space to find out what I've been up to. http://t.co/BLGT2NACtb pic.twitter.com/QYZ631mQOP
— Genet Jackson (@genetjackson) July 2, 2015
Craig Sholley, a wildlife biologist and vice president of the African Wildlife Foundation, told National Geographic that it's possible the genet clambered up the rhino for a hunting advantage, rather than to hitch a ride.
For more of Genet Jackson's rhino-riding adventures, follow her on Twitter.
[H/T: Huffington Post]
