Ringtail

A ringtail is also a type of sail; the White-headed Capuchin is also known as the ringtail monkey.

The ringtail, (Bassariscus astutus) is a mammal belonging to the raccoon family, native to North America. It is also known as the ringtail cat or miner's cat, and is sometimes mistakenly called a civet cat, which is a different species.

The ringtail is buffy to dark brown in color with white underparts and a flashy black and white striped tail which is longer than the rest of its body. The eyes are large and black, each surrounded by a patch of light fur. It is smaller than a housecat, measuring 30–42 cm long with a tail of 31–44 cm and weighing 0.8–1.5 kg.

The ringtail is found throughout California, Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and parts of northern Mexico. It is found in rocky, forested habitat, where it nests in the hollows of trees or abandoned wooden structures. The ankle joint is flexible and able to rotate over 180 degrees, a trait that helps make it an agile climber. It is nocturnal, solitary, timid, and rarely seen. It is omnivorous, eating fruits, berries, insects, lizards, small rodents and birds. Owls, coyotes and bobcats prey on the ringtail.

As adults they lead solitary lives, except when a male and female come together to mate in the spring. The female gives birth to 2 or 3 young in her nest. The ringtail is said to be easily tamed, and can make an affectionate pet and effective mouser. Miners and settlers once kept pet ringtails to keep their cabins free of vermin. They have occasionally been hunted for their pelts, but the fur is not terribly valuable.

The ringtail is the state mammal of Arizona.

References

Mustelid Specialist Group (1996). [Bassariscus astutus]. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.
Nowak, Ronald M. (2005). Walker's Carnivores of the World. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0801880327

Ringtail is also a company which was purchased by FTI consulting in February 2005. Ringtail specialises in large-scale, asp-driven litigation support software.

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