# Ringtail

*Bassariscus astutus*

Their hind feet can rotate 180 degrees, allowing them to descend vertical cliffs and trees headfirst with incredible speed.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Mammalia › Carnivora › Procyonidae › Bassariscus
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** desert
- **Habitat:** Arid canyons, rocky outcroppings, pine-oak woodlands, and desert scrub.
- **Diet:** Omnivorous: mice, woodrats, insects, birds, reptiles, fruits, and acorns.
- **Range:** United States, Mexico
- **Size:** Total length 61-81 cm (including a 31-44 cm tail); weight 0.8-1.5 kg.
- **Lifespan:** 6 to 9 years in the wild
- **Active:** nocturnal
- **Threats:** Habitat loss, vehicle collisions, rodenticide poisoning, and predation by larger carnivores.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless but defensive if cornered. Ringtails are shy, nocturnal, and will actively avoid humans. Maintain a safe distance of 15 feet and do not attempt to corner or handle them, as they may bite or release a foul musk. In case of a bite, wash the wound immediately with soap and water and seek medical attention due to rabies risk.

## About

The ringtail ( Bassariscus astutus ) is a mammal of the raccoon family, native to arid regions of North America. It is also known as the ringtail cat , ring-tailed cat , miner's cat or bassarisk , and is also sometimes called a "civet cat" (after similar, though only distantly related, cat-like carnivores of Asia and Africa). The ringtail is sometimes called a cacomistle, though this term seems to be more often used to refer to Bassariscus sumichrasti .

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/cd64160d-6867-4603-9a9e-1c4a6028ed35
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/41676
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bassariscus astutus
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/171656527/medium.jpeg (Brooke Smith, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.