Marana Unwrapped

Photo credit: Petite Paws Exotics

Here’s a pop quiz. What is Arizona’s state mammal?

I know I had no idea, and never would have even looked it up if I hadn’t seen one tonight. The ringtail, a mammal in the same family (procyonid) as the coati and the more familiar raccoon, is the state mammal. As the picture shows, it has obvious rings on its long, bushy tail, and looks like a fox or a cat.

Tonight I happened to be looking into the sky, and noticed what I thought was a cat sitting on an outside windowsill of my friend’s apartment. I wondered how a cat could get up to the 2nd floor, and I was a little concerned for the poor creature. It moved and started to climb the wall. Cats don’t climb walls that well without falling, which this animal didn’t. Instead, it climbed up to a vent protruding out of the wall, stuck its head and front feet in, and pulled out something with its mouth.

My daughter and I watched in awe as it started to crunch on its prey. Feathers fell, and I realized it was eating a bird.

Anyway, it was a very interesting find, right here in our own backyard (near Cortaro and Silverbell).

From what I’ve read, it’s rare to actually see one. Ringtails are nocturnal and use their big eyes and fox-like ears to hunt at night.

According to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s site,

“Ringtails are strictly nocturnal animals, using their large eyes and keen sense of smell to locate prey. They are excellent climbers and leapers, using their long tails for balance as they negotiate steep canyon walls or trees with equal ease. The ringtails have semi-retractable claws and can rotate their hind feet 180 degrees, allowing them to descend cliffs face first.

They den in niches in rock walls, boulder piles, or hollow trees. Ringtails are solitary, only pairing up for a few days of mating in April. The 2 to 4 kits are born in June. By fall the young can hunt for themselves and soon disperse.

Though fierce little fighters, ringtails fall prey to great horned owls, bobcats, and coyotes. When frightened, they emit a musky odor from anal scent glands.”

As soon as I get a chance, I’ll post the pictures of the ringtail that I took tonight.

Have you seen a ringtail or any other wild animals here in Marana?