Rescued Ringtail with Bad Temper Turns Aggressive Towards Rescuer

The injured ringtail she had rescued on the side of the road turned aggressive and was creating "havoc," according to Texas authorities, and the supposed rescuer was forced to leave her car.

Not Lemur. Ringtail!

According to a June 11 Facebook post by the City of San Antonio Animal Care Services, the woman was traveling in San Antonio when she saw a "small, strange creature" that she mistook for a lemur.

Photos of the creature reveal that it had a fox-like face and a body coated in plush fur that ended in a fluffy black-and-white tail. She brought the 'lemur' back to her car after wrapping it in a towel.

But, according to authorities, there were two issues. First of all, it wasn't a lemur. Second, the creature did not need or appreciate her assistance.

Despite Miss U's best efforts to calm the animal, the animal suddenly got agitated, forcing Miss U to exit her car and dial 3-1-1 for assistance to avoid being hurt.

The animal, a ringtail, was taken into custody by an officer who had arrived on the scene. It wasn't a lemur.

Thankfully, Miss U was able to flee the wild animal unharmed, according to officials, while Officer Centeno expertly transferred the ringtail from her automobile to his transport truck.

According to the post, the ringtail's wounds were attended to before it was sent to Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation, Inc.

Even while ringtails aren't lemurs, they do have certain physical similarities. They are adept climbers, just like lemurs.

They can climb quickly and with agility. According to Texas Tech University, they are known as "ringtailed cats" because of the claws on their hind feet, which resemble those of domestic cats. They can sprint down a tree trunk or a steep rock headfirst rather than backing down like a domestic cat because their rear feet can be twisted externally at least 180 degrees.

The nocturnal creatures, however, belong to the same family as raccoons.

Despite living across much of Texas, except for the panhandle, ringtails are rarely seen, in part because of their nocturnal activities and "secretive habits," according to scientists, Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Also Read: Endangered Ring-Tailed Lemur Rescued from Illinois Garage, Zoo Warns of Zoonotic Pathogens if Kept as Pet

Ringtails in Texas

The Ringtail is a carnivorous cat-sized animal with a long, raccoon-like tail that resembles a little fox. With alternating bands of black and white, its bushy tail is flattened and almost as long as its head and body.

Although ringtails may be found in a variety of environments, they favor rocky regions like heaps of rocks, stone fences, talus slopes, and canyon walls. Ringtails are skilled climbers and can scale vertical walls to locate the most secure cracks, fissures, and hollows where they may construct their dens. They typically live in wooded regions where they make their dens in hollow logs and trees. They have also been seen residing in structures.

Ringtails are found across the state, although are less frequent in southern Texas's Coastal Plains and lower Rio Grande, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife.