Deb: Let's have a look at it. The ringtails in the southwest are very shy and reclusive. You generally only see them at night. They are very fluid and graceful when they run. I suspect that they are related to raccoons. They live on small rodents, lizards and insects. Sometimes the guys who run the Colorado River tour groups tell of their supplies being ransacked by ringtails in the night.
LJ >>> "Deborah Duran" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 1/4/2007 11:48 AM >>> I'm not familiar with ring-tailed cats. These behaved very much like raccoons and looked just like a starved raccoon. I actually have a picture of one next to a cat. He is a little larger than the cat but they were both scavengers at the resort so they were on the small side. I can scan the pictures if you think you might be able to identify it. The biologist there said it was a "cousin" of the raccoon. I originally thought it was a raccoon. Regards, Deb There are several animals with ringed tails, but a true ringtail cat is small, and agile (smaller in body than a housecat, but at least as long because of the tail) and is native to the southwest US. I have seen several. p.s.: DO NOT put your hand down the hole to "see if he's still in there." Larry Johnson Springville, Utah >>> "Pierre Bombardier" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 1/4/2007 8:47 AM >>> I think you are referring to the coatimundi, or ringtail. A bit thinner in build than a racoon. Mark Delaney
