Rangers at Capulin Volcano National Monument in northeastern New Mexico are asking locals and visitors if they’ve spotted ringtail cats near the historic volcanic cone. The ringtail is a small, nocturnal member of the raccoon family that lives in the region but is rarely seen, and the park team hopes reports from the public can help track its presence. If you’ve been around Capulin or the surrounding lava fields and piñon-juniper slopes, your observations could be useful to monument staff studying local wildlife.
The ringtail, Bassariscus astutus, often gets described as a cross between a fox, a cat, and a raccoon because of its sleek body, pointed face, and long, banded tail. They’re built for climbing and squeezing into rocky crevices, which makes the jagged edges of Capulin an ideal habitat. Their ringed tails are not just pretty—those bands and the long tail help with balance when navigating cliffs and tree branches at night.
These animals are mostly active after sunset and before dawn, so sightings tend to be brief and surprising. They eat a mixed diet of fruits, insects, small mammals, and birds, so they’re flexible survivors in the monument’s varied terrain. Because they are shy and move under cover of darkness, a daytime sighting is unusual and often indicates a younger or curious individual exploring edges of human activity.
Rangers want the public’s help but also stress a hands-off approach if you do see a ringtail. Don’t attempt to touch, trap, or feed it; wild animals that become accustomed to human food are at risk and can create safety problems around campsites and picnic areas. Instead, note the time, location, and behavior and share that information with park staff when it’s safe to do so.
If you keep trail cameras or motion-sensor cameras on private property near the monument, check footage for nighttime activity—ringtails show up frequently on remote cams. When reporting a sighting, give as many details as you can: the exact spot near Capulin, direction of travel, what the animal looked like, and whether it carried food. Those specifics help rangers map movement patterns and understand how ringtails use the monument’s volcanic landscape.
Capulin’s mix of lava beds, cliffs, and scattered woodlands creates pockets of shelter and food that ringtails like, but human development and free-roaming pets can push wildlife into tighter spaces. Keeping pets leashed and securing garbage are simple steps that reduce conflict and protect both animals and people. Rangers say small changes in behavior by visitors and neighbors can make the area safer and more livable for native species.
For naturalists and curious neighbors, there are subtle signs to watch for beyond a direct sighting. Look for half-inch tracks that show toes but no obvious webbing, or shallow claw marks on wood and rock where an animal climbed. You might also notice small piles of bones or insect parts near rock ledges—evidence of feeding. Ringtails are nimble and leave cleaner, more catlike prints than raccoons, which helps tell the species apart.
Researchers and park staff are not asking people to become informal trappers or surveyors; they simply want observations to add to their records. Those records can guide how the monument manages habitat and visitor outreach, especially if ringtail activity increases in areas where people hike and camp. Citizen reports can be invaluable because rangers can’t be everywhere at night, and a pattern of sightings helps focus conservation efforts.
If you’re out near Capulin Volcano at first light or twilight, keep your eyes on the edges of rockslides and in trees, and use a flashlight carefully so you don’t startle wildlife unnecessarily. If you see a ringtail, note where it was and what direction it went, then contact the monument’s ranger station during business hours to pass along the details. Your single observation could help park staff better understand this secretive member of New Mexico’s wildlife community.
