Roadless Areas
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Bassariscus astutus

(Lichtenstein, 1830)

Ringtail

G5Secure Found in 72 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105257
Element CodeAMAJE01010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassMammalia
OrderCarnivora
FamilyProcyonidae
GenusBassariscus
Other Common Names
ringtail (EN)
Concept Reference
Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.
Conservation Status
Review Date1996-11-18
Change Date1996-11-18
Range Extent Comments
Western North America, as far north as southern Oregon, northern Nevada, northern Utah, southern Wyoming, and Colorado, south through California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico to southern Baja California and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, including some islands in the Gulf of California. Old records exist for the central U.S. north to Kansas. Generally sea level to about 1400 m, but reported from up to 2900 m.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Typically in rocky areas with cliffs or crevices for daytime shelter; desert scrub, chaparral, pine-oak and conifer woodland. Usually within 0.5 miles of water. Dens usually in rock shelter; also in tree hollow, under tree roots, in burrow dug by other animal, in remote building, under brush pile. Changes den often.

Ecology

Secretive, may be common in areas where seldom observed. In different areas, population density ranges from a few to about 20 per sq km. Home range may shift seasonally. Occurs singly or as pairs in local concentrations (Poglayen-Neuwall and Towell 1988).

Reproduction

Breeds February-May, mainly March-April. Gestation lasts 51-54 days. Parturition usually occurs in May or June. Litter size usually is 1-4. Young forage with mother at 60-100 days, stay with mother until late summer, when weaning occurs and they leave home den. Sexually mature usually at end of second year, though young-of-year may mate successfully.
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparralDesertBare rock/talus/screeCliff
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
UtahS3Yes
Navajo NationS4Yes
TexasS4Yes
KansasSHYes
ArizonaS5Yes
OklahomaS3Yes
WyomingS1Yes
New MexicoS4Yes
OregonS3Yes
ColoradoS4Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
NevadaS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
4 - Transportation & service corridors——High (continuing)
4.1 - Roads & railroads——High (continuing)
5 - Biological resource use——High (continuing)
5.1 - Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals——High (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (72)
Arizona (12)
AreaForestAcres
Black CrossTonto National Forest5,966
Butterfly Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest42,296
ChiricahuaCoronado National Forest76,876
GaliuroCoronado National Forest28,333
Lower San FranciscoApache-Sitgreaves National Forests59,310
MazatzalTonto National Forest16,942
Mitchell PeakApache-Sitgreaves National Forests35,398
PicachoTonto National Forest4,969
PinalenoCoronado National Forest130,920
PipestemApache-Sitgreaves National Forests34,598
Sierra Ancha Wilderness ContiguousTonto National Forest7,787
WhetstoneCoronado National Forest20,728
California (44)
AreaForestAcres
BackboneShasta-Trinity National Forest11,466
Bald RockPlumas National Forest4,675
Bell QuinbyShasta-Trinity National Forest11,556
Bonanza KingShasta-Trinity National Forest16,402
CamuesaLos Padres National Forest8,209
Chalk PeakLos Padres National Forest7,472
City CreekSan Bernardino National Forest9,997
Cow CreekShasta-Trinity National Forest22,627
Coyote NorthInyo National Forest11,932
Cucamonga AAngeles National Forest1,249
Cucamonga BSan Bernardino National Forest11,933
Cucamonga CSan Bernardino National Forest4,106
Devil GulchSierra National Forest30,490
Devils RockShasta-Trinity National Forest16,209
Dry LakesLos Padres National Forest17,043
EagleShasta-Trinity National Forest6,553
East GirardShasta-Trinity National Forest27,894
Ferguson RidgeSierra National Forest6,104
HortonInyo National Forest5,717
Indian CreekKlamath National Forest5,011
IshiLassen National Forest21,805
JohnsonKlamath National Forest10,652
KangarooKlamath National Forest40,617
Little French CShasta-Trinity National Forest11,529
Magic MountainAngeles National Forest15,542
Middle ForkPlumas National Forest29,278
MonoLos Padres National Forest28,141
Mt. Shasta AShasta-Trinity National Forest676
Mt. Shasta BShasta-Trinity National Forest2,809
Orleans Mtn. CSix Rivers National Forest15,589
PattisonShasta-Trinity National Forest29,299
PortugueseKlamath National Forest18,915
RinconSequoia National Forest54,610
RubiconEldorado National Forest4,872
San DimasAngeles National Forest7,160
San Gabriel AddAngeles National Forest2,527
SiskiyouKlamath National Forest54,039
Slate Mtn.Sequoia National Forest12,299
Strawberry PeakAngeles National Forest7,245
Tom MartinKlamath National Forest9,031
Trumbull PeakStanislaus National Forest6,164
West GirardShasta-Trinity National Forest37,516
Wheeler RidgeInyo National Forest15,744
WoodpeckerSequoia National Forest11,936
Nevada (3)
AreaForestAcres
Lovell Summit SouthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest28,455
PotosiHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,145
Snake - Peacock CynHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest1,069
New Mexico (8)
AreaForestAcres
Capitan MountainsLincoln National Forest14,069
Devils CreekGila National Forest89,916
Gila BoxGila National Forest23,759
Guaje CanyonSanta Fe National Forest6,104
Meadow CreekGila National Forest34,167
Ortega PeakLincoln National Forest11,545
RendijaSanta Fe National Forest2,176
South Guadalupe MountainsLincoln National Forest20,930
Oregon (1)
AreaForestAcres
Cougar BluffUmpqua National Forest5,574
Utah (4)
AreaForestAcres
418026Uinta National Forest14,038
418027Uinta National Forest13,884
CottonwoodDixie National Forest6,754
Pine Valley MountainsDixie National Forest57,673
References (14)
  1. American Society of Mammalogists (ASM). 2025. Mammal Diversity Database (Version 1.13) [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10595931. Online. Available: https://www.mammaldiversity.org/
  2. Armstrong, D. M. 1975. Rocky Mountain mammals. Rocky Mountain Nature Asscoc., Inc. 174 pp.
  3. Bradley, R.D., L.K. Ammerman, R.J. Baker, L.C. Bradley, J.A. Cook. R.C. Dowler, C. Jones, D.J. Schmidly, F.B. Stangl Jr., R.A. Van den Bussche and B. Würsig. 2014. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 2014. Museum of Texas Tech University Occasional Papers 327:1-28. Available at: http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/publications/opapers/ops/OP327.pdf
  4. Caire, W., J. D. Tyler, B. P. Glass, and M. A. Mares. 1989. Mammals of Oklahoma. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. Oklahoma. 567 pp.
  5. Decker, D. M., and W. C. Wozencraft. 1991. Phylogenetic analysis of recent procyonid genera. Journal of Mammalogy 72:42-55.
  6. Grinnell, J., J. S. Dixon, and J. M. Linsdale. 1937. Furbearing mammals of California. University of California Press, Berkeley. 2 vols.
  7. Hall, E. R. 1981a. The Mammals of North America, second edition. Vols. I & II. John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York. 1181 pp.
  8. Jones, J. K., Jr., R. S. Hoffman, D. W. Rice, C. Jones, R. J. Baker, and M. D. Engstrom. 1992a. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 1991. Occasional Papers, The Museum, Texas Tech University, 146:1-23.
  9. Leopold, A. S. 1959. Wildlife of Mexico. University of California Press, Berkeley.
  10. Lowery, G. H., Jr. 1974. The mammals of Louisiana and its adjacent waters. Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge. 565 pp.
  11. Poglayen-Neuwall, I., and D. E. Toweill. 1988. <i>Bassariscus astutus</i>. American Society of Mammalogists, Mammalian Species 327:1-8.
  12. Schmidly, D. J. 1977. The mammals of Trans-Pecos Texas including Big Bend National Park and Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Texas A & M University Press, College Station.
  13. Toweill, D. E., and J. G. Teer. 1981. Home range and den habits of Texas ringtails (<i>Bassariscus astutus flavus</i>). Pages 1103-1120 IN Chapman, J. A., and Pursley, D. (editors). Worldwide Furbearer Conference Proceedings, Frostburg, Maryland.
  14. Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.