Bassariscus sumichrasti
Silhouette: Gabriela Palomo-Munoz · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
The cacomistle (Bassariscus sumichrasti), also spelled cacomixtle, is a primarily nocturnal, arboreal, omnivorous member of the carnivoran family Procyonidae (coatis, kinkajous and raccoons). Depending on the location, its preferred habitats are humid and tropical evergreen jungle and montane cloud forests; seasonally, it may venture into drier, deciduous forests.
Although its total population is listed as being of "least concern" (i.e., stable), the cacomistle is still a highly cryptic, secretive animal, and generally an uncommon sight throughout much of its range (from southern México to western Panamá); this fact is especially true in Costa Rica, where it inhabits only a very small area. Additionally, the species is completely dependent on trees and dense vegetation for habitat, making it particularly susceptible to deforestation.
The name cacomistle comes from the Nahuatl language (tlahcomiztli) and means "half-cat" or "half-puma"; the same name is also given, by some, to the North American Bassariscus astutus, more commonly known as the ringtail (or, semi-inaccurately, ringtail 'cat'). This "sister species" of the cacomistle inhabits a much more northerly and less tropical range, from arid Northern Mexico into the Southwestern United States. Wikipedia →
Call1:21
Honduras · 2024
© Enrique Mejía · XC992843 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Recording1:58
El Salvador · 2021
© Ze Roberto · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:29
El Salvador · 2025
© AJ Johnson · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volcán Barú National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 2 | Los Quetzales National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 3 | La Amistad International Park (Panama) | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 4 | Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Little Rock Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cacomistle sighting in La Amistad International Park (Panama) on a given day, based on 20 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 11th most-seen of the 28 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January–May and August–November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cacomistle in La Amistad International Park (Panama) on a given day, against under 5% in June–July and December, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cacomistle sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
3rd of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Cacomistle sightings, La Amistad International Park (Panama) ranks 3rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Volcán Barú National Park (Panama, about 20%) and Los Quetzales National Park (Costa Rica, about 10%).
Same family: Procyonidae
The closest relatives of the Cacomistle that you can see in La Amistad International Park (Panama) (family Procyonidae, Raccoons, Coatis, and Allies) are White-nosed Coati (about 20%), Common Raccoon (about 10%) and Kinkajou (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Cacomistle is recorded against all the mammals logged in La Amistad International Park (Panama) (20 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
