EXPERIENCE ARIZONA

A TALL TAIL TALE About Arizona's STATE MAMMAL, the Ringtail, a CACOMISTLE

EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT ARIZONA'S STATE flower is the saguaro cactus blossom, the state bird is the cactus wren, and the state tree is the paloverde, but does anyone know what the state mammal is? Probably not. That's because the state mammal keeps a low profile . . . and for good reason, as we'll see. It is the ringtail, otherwise known as the cacomistle and the miner's cat. It also goes by the scientific name of Bassariscus astutus. You can readily see why the creature keeps a low profile. With three aliases, this critter is obviously on the lam, wanted by someone for something.

Even though it's called the miner's cat, it's actually a member of the raccoon family. Another little trick to confuse whoever or whatever is after it. The cacomistle measures about 24 inches from nose to tail tip and weighs about 2.5 pounds. Its ringed tail is about half of the critter's total length, so its natural enemy is most likely the rocking chair. The animal has a raccoonlike mask around the eyes, which makes it look like a cross between Morris the Cat and the Lone Ranger. If you want to see a picture of the ringtail, you can find it in an encyclopedia or probably among the wanted posters on display at the local post office. An agile animal, the ringtail can climb trees easily and quickly. It's also a prolific and proficient "mouser." In fact, years ago, miners used to domesticate these mammals to keep their living quarters free from rodents and similar pests. Hence the name "miner's cat." Presumably, the prospectors would give them cute little pet names like "Fluffy" or "Tabby" or "Spot." So now it had even another alias.

The miners would offer their pet a place to sleep, an occasional pan of warm milk and all the mice it could eat. Of course, they also offered it a place to hide out if any lawmen came looking for a cacomistle, a ringtail, a miner's cat, a Bassariscus astutus or a "Fluffy," "Tabby" or "Spot." Prospecting is a lonely occupation, so the state mammal also served as a companion. Acting as a pal, a buddy and a cuddly friend to the reclusive miner may have been the ringtail's toughest duty. It's not easy being close, warm and snuggly with a scraggly, unkempt, unshaven, unclean old coot. But then, I suppose a critter with constant "mouse "Breath" couldn't be too finicky, either. They were loyal and devoted pets. They would stay by their miner's hut and fiercely protect it from rodent ravaging. To this day, many ringtails are found near abandoned mining camps and prospector's huts. There are many stories of miner's cats that have been taken miles away from their master's property, often across state lines, even to foreign countries. Yet with perseverance and extraordinary homing instincts, they found their way back to their "home."

Well, there aren't really a lot of stories like that, but I'll bet there could have been. And I'll bet that those domesticated ringtails do have a strong desire and the intuitive skills to get them back to the base camp. I don't really know that for a fact, but it's a hunch that could pay off.

If you ever see a cacomistle roaming around, looking confused, acting as if it's trying to find its way back to home sweet home, follow it. Stick close on its heels and don't let it out of your sight. It just might lead you to the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine.

That theory could be balderdash, but it's worth a shot.

Mining has played an important role in Arizona's history, and prospectors are among the state's most colorful and memorable characters. The ringtail apparently has been an important part of that mining tradition and is thus revered by the state.

But exactly how did the ringtail become the State Mammal of Arizona? We're not at all sure, and some suggest that there may be some controversy surrounding the selection. Perhaps the ringtail resorted to its several pseudonyms as a result of some scandal connected with the voting. There's little documentation and no proof, but it remains a distinct possibility to this day. Furthermore, no one knows which creature was chosen as the runner-up State Mammal of Arizona. Was it the javelina? Perhaps the cactus mouse? Might it have been the desert cottontail? No one knows. This is a particularly important oversight, because as we all know, should the ringtail, for any reason, be unable to fulfill the official duties, then the runner-up would assume the title of State Mammal of Arizona. Anything could happen to the ringtail. It might become endangered, extinct or even, despite the many phony names, finally cornered and captured by whoever seems to be on its tail. Al "I used to carry a lot of weight around the office, but that's all behind me now," says Gene Perret in his book Retirement: Twice the Time, Half the Money. To order this book ($6.95 plus shipping and handling) or other Perret humor books, call toll-free (800) 543-5432. In Phoenix, call (602) 712-2000. Or use arizonahighways.com.