Poiana richardsonii
SUBFAMILY
Viverrinae
TAXONOMY
Genetta richardsonii (Thomson, 1842), Fernando Po (Equatorial Guinea).
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Oyan; French: Linsang africain, poiana; German: Pojana.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Body length 13–15 in (33–38 cm), tail 14–15 in (36–38 cm), weight 1.4 lb (650 g). The tail is longer than the body and is covered by a thick fur; it has 12 dark rings and a dark tip. The yellow basic coloration is covered by numerous small, black spots.
DISTRIBUTION
Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Cameroon, Congo, and Fernando Po.
HABITAT
Forests.
BEHAVIOR
Nocturnal, rests on tree limbs or in deserted squirrel nests during the day.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Nuts, insects, and birds.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Litter size two to three. Mating system is not known.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Skins used by indigenous people in some areas.
