Friday, January 29, 2010

Mistaking a creature

I don't guess she's ever heard of a miner's cat, either.
A strange sighting in the backyard of a San Antonio woman's home last night. Laurie Gawelko was shocked to see an animal with a small head and a striped, fluffy tail hanging out in her backyard last night. What was it? "It looked right at me," Gawelko said and wondered, "is it a cat?" She got a closer look and decided it was a Lemur [sic].

The ring-tailed lemur is a primate found primarily in Madagascar. It's better known in the United States as the animal in the movie, Madagascar [Apparently there was only one. Animal, that is. --ed.]. Laurie sent the picture to Primarily Primates here and they told her it was actually a Ring-Tailed Cat [sic]. They're indiginous to the area and they are rarely spotted [As in "seen," not covered in spots. Though they are rarely that, too. --ed.]. Gawelko thinks the sighting is pretty cool and hopes it comes back.

(from WOAI-TV)

Really? She thought it was a lemur? She must be from another state.

6 comments:

AlanDP said...

Where I grew up no one ever called it a ring-tailed "cat." I never heard that name until I read about them somewhere. We all just called it a ringtail.

Kels said...

I would catch it and keep it as a pet! lol But knowing my luck I'd think it's a ring-tailed cat and it'd really be a raccoon!

AlanDP said...

I've heard from some old-timers of them being domesticated, but I think you'd have to catch one when it was still very young. Try to catch an adult and it will react the same way any wild animal will.

Also, you probably wouldn't mistake it for a raccoon, they look very different.

Dave said...

I saw that story and I was reminded of the poster on a light pole. It is clearly a picture of a possum but the poster reads, "Found Cat, Not house broken, Not very friendly" and so on.

Anonymous said...

This woman is obviously from another state - and the ringtail cat and lemur look remarkably alike. Unfortunately, many people "raise" lemurs as exotic pets - and they can escape. Sanctuaries house many lemurs raised as "exotics" - and then the owners tire of them. I think it's good that this woman cared enough to be sure...

Unknown said...

Ive seen one myelf at about two o clock in the morning off of potranco and 1604 it was standing on 2 legs very thin long ringed tail it was in the kohls parking lot on the left side and it apeared to come out of thay wooded area i thought i was losing my mnd at first glance ohh it was just a tlracoon so i turned in and drove about 10 yards from it and definately found out it was a lemur........