Bassariscus astutus Lichtenstein, 1830

Ringtail

Bassariscus astutus are known from only a few records in northern and southcentral Louisiana. Lowery (1974) reported two specimens and two nonvouchered records of B. astutus . Since then, Hoffman and Chauhan (2020) reported one additional specimen record from Lafayette Parish in 1977. In 2022, a single individual was found in a stack of concrete blocks from a lumber yard in Church Point, Acadia Parish. It was determined that the concrete blocks had originated in Texas and were just recently delivered ( Michael Seymour, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, personal communication). Although this would constitute a parish record, given the circumstances of its arrival, it seems more likely its presence in Louisiana was the result of incidental transport and not natural dispersal.