Ringtail

asbufra · Post by **asbufra** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 7:35 pm

A ringtail cat very early in the morning, and one unhappy rat (I think). I have never seen one of these before.

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 7:48 pm

Cool! Very nice ringtail. Where did you see it?

asbufra · Post by **asbufra** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 7:57 pm

East Fork Road just before the parking lot at the end. I was in my car and the ringtail crossed the road and then just stood on the fence looking at me while I took out my camera and tried to figure out how to get the flash to work. One flash and it was gone.

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 10:44 pm

Thanks, asbufra!

Ringtails are more common than people realize. We just don't see them that often. BTW, ringtails aren't cats. Most authors consider them to be in the same family as racoons and coatis.

Cougarmagic has a nice video of a ringtail somewhere on this board.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 7:57 am

Nice! Never seen one locally.

HJ

PackerGreg · Post by **PackerGreg** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 1:47 pm

One of the cabin owners in Big Santa Anita Canyon has had a Ringtail visitor in recent years that will eat from his hand. When he discovered from where the Ringtail was entering the cabin, he thought about closing the gap. He decided against it when he awoke to find the Ringtail sleeping on the end of his bed!

cougarmagic · Post by **cougarmagic** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 7:02 pm

That is so, so cool! I've only once seen one "live", and that was about 12 years ago in the Chiricauhua mountains in AZ. It just ran across the road at dusk as I was driving.

Quite a good catch on that rat - it's big!! I had read they mostly eat smaller things - bugs, berries, lizards, etc. But they are obviously good predators.

Nice shot! It is so tough to catch these moments - they happen so fast.

PackerGreg · Post by **PackerGreg** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 7:11 pm

They like grapes.

cougarmagic · Post by **cougarmagic** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 7:38 pm

PackerGreg wrote: They like grapes.