SpeciesFacts

All species › Mammals › Ringtail

Ringtail

Bassariscus astutus

Mammal · family Procyonidae · order Carnivora

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
10 states[3]
Longest recorded life
19 years[4]

The ringtail is a mammal in the raccoon family, Procyonidae[5]. NatureServe ranks it G5, which means Secure worldwide, and it is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[2][1].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the ringtail a global rank of G5 (Secure) and a national rank in the United States of N5 (Secure)[2][6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. The US Fish and Wildlife Service data show that the ringtail is not listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act[1]. Listings can change by federal rule, so this reflects the check on 2026-10-30[1].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern

Where Ringtail lives

NatureServe lists the ringtail as native in 10 US states and territories: Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Wyoming[3]. Kansas is ranked as extirpated or possibly extirpated, which means the animal may be gone from that state[8]. State ranks differ from one state to the next[9]. Observers report it most often in Texas, California, Arizona, New Mexico and Oregon, but those counts follow where people look, not how many animals live there[10].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: native, state rank S3ORNevada: native, state rank S4NVWyoming: native, state rank S1WYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: native, state rank SNRCAUtah: native, state rank S3UTColorado: native, state rank S4CONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: native, state rank S5AZNew Mexico: native, state rank S4NMKansas: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SHKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: native, state rank S3OKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S4TXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[9].
Show state ranks (11 states)
StateRankMeaning
ArizonaS5Secure
CaliforniaSNRNot Ranked
ColoradoS4Apparently Secure
KansasSHPossibly Extirpated
NevadaS4Apparently Secure
New MexicoS4Apparently Secure
OklahomaS3Vulnerable
OregonS3Vulnerable
TexasS4Apparently Secure
UtahS3Vulnerable
WyomingS1Critically Imperiled

Habitat

NatureServe records the ringtail in conifer and mixed woodland, shrubland and chaparral, desert, bare rock and scree slopes, cliffs and riparian areas, which are the green strips along water[11]. It is usually found in rocky places with cliffs or crevices where it can rest during the day[12]. It often dens in rock shelter, but it may also use a tree hollow, a burrow dug by another animal, a building or a brush pile[12]. It changes dens often[12].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[11]

Size, diet and lifespan

The ringtail eats both animals and plants, though it prefers animal food[13]. Its main foods are insects and their relatives, small mammals and fruit, and the mix changes with the season[13]. One estimate puts its diet at 70% fruit, 20% invertebrates and 10% warm-blooded vertebrates[14]. NatureServe records a typical length of 81 cm (32 in)[15] and a typical weight of 2 lb[16]. Gestation lasts about 52 days, and a typical litter is 3 young[17][18]. The longest recorded lifespan is 19 years in captivity[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[15] 81 cm (32 in)
Typical adult weight[16] 1.1 kg (2 lb)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 19 years (captivity)
Litter or clutch size[17] 3
Gestation or incubation[18] 52 days
Female maturity[19] 300 days (about 0.8 years)
Food habits[20] Carnivore, Invertivore, Frugivore
Active[21] nocturnal
Migration[22] non-migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[14]

  • 70% fruit
  • 20% invertebrates
  • 10% warm-blooded vertebrates

When to look for it

The ringtail is mostly nocturnal, which means active at night, though it is sometimes active at dusk and dawn[23][24]. It is active through the whole year and is not a migrant[23][22]. Breeding runs from February to May, and young are usually born in May or June[25]. Observation records on GBIF are highest in January, March and October, but they reflect when people look and report, not how many animals there are[26].

January: 398 recordsJanFebruary: 303 recordsFebMarch: 436 recordsMarApril: 320 recordsAprMay: 251 recordsMayJune: 177 recordsJunJuly: 184 recordsJulAugust: 214 recordsAugSeptember: 318 recordsSepOctober: 345 recordsOctNovember: 328 recordsNovDecember: 289 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[26].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January398
February303
March436
April320
May251
June177
July184
August214
September318
October345
November328
December289

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Ringtail as present in 46 park units[27]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

And 22 more park units.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Texas, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon[10]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Safety around this animal

These tips are quoted in summary from official agencies. We add no advice of our own. Follow local rules and the agency pages linked below.

From Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

  • In the United States, the animals most often found with rabies are bats, skunks, raccoons and foxes.
  • Rabies spreads mainly through bites and scratches. It is fatal once symptoms start but preventable with prompt care.
  • Contact with bats is the leading cause of human rabies deaths in the United States.
  • After a bite or scratch, wash it right away with soap and water and get medical care urgently. Keep wildlife wild by staying away.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention[28]

Questions people ask

Is the ringtail endangered?
No. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5, Secure, worldwide[2].
Where does the ringtail live in the US?
It is native in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Wyoming[3]. It is ranked as extirpated or possibly extirpated in Kansas[8].
What does the ringtail eat?
It eats insects and their relatives, small mammals and fruit, and sometimes birds, reptiles and amphibians[13]. One estimate is 70% fruit, 20% invertebrates and 10% warm-blooded vertebrates[14].
How big is a ringtail?
NatureServe records a typical length of 81 cm (32 in)[15] and a typical weight of 2 lb[16].
How long does a ringtail live?
The longest recorded lifespan is 19 years in captivity[4]. That is a record, not a typical lifespan[4].

Facts and sources

  1. Ringtail is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Ringtail: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Ringtail as native in 10 US states and territories: Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Wyoming. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 19 years in captivity. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Ringtail (Bassariscus astutus) is a mammal in the family Procyonidae, order Carnivora. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. NatureServe ranks Ringtail as extirpated or possibly extirpated (SX or SH) in: Kansas. NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe state ranks for Ringtail (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  10. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Ringtail: Texas, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  11. Habitat types NatureServe records for Ringtail: Woodland - conifer, Woodland - mixed, Shrubland/chaparral, Desert, Bare rock/talus/scree, Cliff, Riparian. NatureServe Explorer
  12. NatureServe notes on habitat for Ringtail. NatureServe Explorer
  13. NatureServe notes on food for Ringtail. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 70% fruit, 20% invertebrates, 10% warm-blooded vertebrates. EltonTraits 1.0
  15. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 81 cm (32 in). NatureServe Explorer
  16. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 1.1 kg (2 lb). NatureServe Explorer
  17. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 3. AnAge
  18. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 52 days. AnAge
  19. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 300 days (about 0.8 years). AnAge
  20. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Carnivore, Invertivore, Frugivore. NatureServe Explorer
  21. Activity time in EltonTraits 1.0: nocturnal. EltonTraits 1.0
  22. NatureServe migration category for Ringtail: non-migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  23. NatureServe notes on phenology for Ringtail. NatureServe Explorer
  24. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Nocturnal. NatureServe Explorer
  25. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Ringtail. NatureServe Explorer
  26. GBIF observation records of Ringtail in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  27. NPSpecies park lists recording Ringtail as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies
  28. Safety guidance from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.