91°F
weather icon Clear

Ringtail surprises resident

Boulder City resident Michael Nix recently encountered an unexpected visitor at his home: a ringtail.

The nocturnal mammal, a relative of the raccoon, has been running along power lines and coming into his home for a few weeks before being caught.

Nix said he was alerted about the intruder by his dogs.

He set up a video camera to see who was visiting at night and was surprised when he saw the ringtail staring back at him one night.

Although he said he appreciates the efforts of the animal in “getting rid of rodents,” he didn’t feel comfortable sharing his abode.

“They’re great to have around … they get rid of rodents,” he said about the animal also known as a “miner’s cat” because miners used to encourage them to stay in their homes and mines to keep them free of rats and mice.

Nix called the ringtail a “feisty character” that screamed and hissed at him after it was caught.

Ann Inabnitt, Boulder City Animal Control supervisor, agreed about the animal’s feisty nature and called their bite “nasty.”

She said they are not uncommon in the area and are highly “opportunistic.”

“They do like pet food,” she said, adding that they will often return to a site if they know they will find a regular source of food.

According to livescience.com, ringtails are normally timid toward people and tend to be seen less often than raccoons.

The animal was released away from residences in the nearby desert.

Hali Bernstein Saylor is editor of the Boulder City Review. She can be reached at hsaylor@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9523. Follow @HalisComment on Twitter.

MOST READ
LISTEN TO THE TOP FIVE HERE
THE LATEST
Huge crowd turns out to honor Patton

It was brought up during Saturday’s unveiling of the Shane Patton Memorial Monument as to why Shane’s statue stands 11 feet tall.

Disaster in China affects Damboree fireworks show

As the city prepares for Damboree, one of our biggest celebrations of the year, a tragedy in China is having an impact on the annual fireworks show.

City Celebrates First Responders

Photos courtesy City of Boulder City

Toll Brothers gets split decision

The development of the area near Boulder Creek Golf Course known as Tract 350 (the sale of which is slated to pay for the majority of the planned replacement for the aging municipal pool) may have hit a snag last week as the planning commission voted 5-1 to deny the developers’ request to build houses closer to the street than is allowed under current law.

Council gives nod to 185 new hangars

There is at least one part of Boulder City that is set to see growth in the coming years. A lot of growth.

Boulder City ready to celebrate America

Boulder City resident James Cracolici may have put it best when he called the annual July 4 Damboree, “The crown jewel of all events held in Boulder City.”

BC can ban backyard breeders

Although there is nothing on any city agenda yet, the resolution of the issue of whether pet breeding will be allowed in Boulder City took a huge step forward last week as Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford released an official opinion on the intent and limitations of state law that had been requested by city staff last year.