PICS: Hitch-hiking genet takes selfie with a rhino

Cape Town - Remember that large spotted genet that hitched a ride on a buffalo... and then another? Well, he's been at it again and seems to have a thing for the Big 5. 

In a new set of camera trap photographs released by Wildlife ACT, the very same little guy is shown piggy backing on a rhino!

And get this - the first photograph was taken on the very same night as the famous buffalo incident.

Also see: You won't believe these pics of a genet hitching a ride on a buffalo!

In a blog post accompanying the pics capturing the little feline's strange behaviour, Wildlife ACT notes that the genet seems to have taken to camera trap selfies, using large herbivores as props!

An explanatory excerpt from the post reads:

"It seems like this lonely genet has tried to make friends outside of his species. It’s just he/she only seems to like really large herbivore type friends.

This behaviour has stumped most of us at Wildlife ACT as we can’t see any benefit for these species to be seen together – with the possible exception of a height advantage for the genet.

It seems like he doesn’t need a reason as he continues to ride first the buffalo and now the rhino of Hluhluwe, night after night."

Check out these pics:

His first rhino shot was snapped on the same night as the buffalo incident:



And then three nights later:

 


Then again the next night





And another four nights later... again!





Isn't it just the craziest thing you've ever seen?! It certainly made its way into our top 10!

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About camera traps:

The cameras are placed strategically and usually in hard to navigate areas. They are triggered by movement and use a flash at night that doesn’t irritate the animals as is evident in this series of images. 

These camera traps are perfect for monitoring generally shy or nocturnal animals or priority species such as rhino, cheetah and leopard. 

By studying the photographs collected Wildlife ACT is able to identify individual animals and plot their territories, which is critical to ongoing research and makes it easier to monitor them in the future.

Wildlife ACT is a one-of-a-kind wildlife-monitoring organisation that focuses on the following key conservation elements:

· Delivering time and expertise to provide adequate management, capture, transport for the reintroduction of endangered and threatened species to new areas (focus on African Wild Dog, Cheetah, Black Rhino & Vultures).

· Finding and funding the right equipment needed to effectively monitor endangered and threatened species.

· Training field rangers to effectively monitor endangered and threatened species, by using the right approaches and technologies to minimise disturbance.

· Establishing and running sustainable, focused wildlife monitoring projects.

Wildlife ACT allows volunteers to join their team in the field. To find out more about volunteering with Wildlife ACT email, info@wildlifeact.com.

Check out the Wildlife ACT website for more details.