WATCH: Rare Idaho ringtail found in Twin Falls
Published at | Updated at
The following is a news release from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.
TWIN FALLS – Finding a ringtail in Idaho is a very rare occurrence, and the last few sightings have happened near Twin Falls.
In early December 2021, staff from the Amalgamated Sugar factory south of Twin Falls spotted a ringtail on the property. Within a few days, a wildlife biologist from the Magic Valley Regional set traps with a goal of relocation to a more suitable habitat.
Within a week of setting traps, the ringtail was live-trapped and taken to the Fish and Game regional office in Jerome where some key biological data was collected and the ringtail was given some bling, meaning a metal ear tag. Within a few hours, it was released south of Twin Falls into more suitable ringtail habitat.
In the end, the ringtail scampered away from our wildlife biologists to explore the landscape in its new home.