Ringtail

Ringtail

Order : Carnivora
Family : Procyonidae
Subfamily : Procyoninae
Species : Bassariscus astutus

The ringtail (Bassariscus astutus) is a member of the raccoon family and lives in the mountains, badlands and forests in southwestern United States to Baja California and southern Mexico (source and range map). It got its name from its black and white striped tail. The ringtail is an agile climber, their ankle joint can turn 180 degrees and can become 7 years of age in the wild. They are most active at dusk and at night, when they feed on insects, squirrels, rodents, rabbits, and occasionally birds, lizards, snakes, frogs, carrion and plants. When ringtails feel threatened, they bristle the hair on its tail, pulling its tail towards its head to look bigger. The scientific Latin name can be translated as cunning little fox.

The Ringtail is listed as Least Concern (LR/lc), lowest risk. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category, on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

1. bass -- (the lowest part of the musical range)
bass
2. bass, bass part -- (the lowest part in polyphonic music)
bass
bass part
3. bass, basso -- (an adult male singer with the lowest voice)
bass
basso
4. sea bass, bass -- (flesh of lean-fleshed saltwater fish of the family Serranidae)
sea bass
bass
5. freshwater bass, bass -- (any of various North American lean-fleshed freshwater fishes especially of the genus Micropterus)
freshwater bass
bass
6. bass, bass voice, basso -- (the lowest adult male singing voice)
bass
bass voice
basso
7. bass -- (the member with the lowest range of a family of musical instruments)
bass
8. bass -- (nontechnical name for any of numerous edible marine and freshwater spiny-finned fishes)
bass
(Source WordNet)