Comparison Of Olympic And Paralympic Games

Comparison Of Olympic And Paralympic Games Commonwealth, World Cup, English Premier League are sports event that is very popular. Besides all those events, the Olympics and Paralympics are one of the most well-known sporting events in the world now. Everybody knows about Olympics and Paralympics. The background of Olympics is founded by a young Frenchmen named Pierre de Coubertin. In 1890, he organized and founded a sports organization, Union des Socià ©tà ©s Francaises de Sports Athlà ©tiques (USFSA). Two years later, Coubertin first pitched his idea to revive the Olympic Games. (Jennifer Rosenberg 2010) Besides that, the background of Paralympics is the first Paralympics Games were held in Rome, Italy, in 1960 and involved 400 athletes from 23 countries. Originally only wheelchair athletes were invited to compete. Since that time, the Paralympics Games have grown dramatically. (History of the Paralympics Movement, online) Both the Olympics and Paralympics have some interesting similarities and differences in terms o the criteria, time of event, games played, rules of games and mission and vision. Both athletes in the Olympics and Paralympics need to be national players of their own countries and meet the requirements set by the Olympics organization in order to participate in these events. However, besides this basic requirement, both the Olympics and Paralympics have other requirements that are very different. For the Olympics, qualified athlete must at least meet the minimum requirement set by the Olympics organization in order to participate in the Olympics game, which is at least a national athlete. And they are all usually train in the young age. For example, Gymnastics and other acrobatic events, kids as young as 4 can be selected for elite programs to prepare for the Olympics game. However, sports like wrestling or rowing, adults bodies are required to really excel, so intense training usually starts around high school. . (10 Steps to Become an Olympic Athlete 2010, online) Youth athletes require a lot of intense training all the time, and competing with all the junior level, year around. And for the athletes who are outstanding will go on to careers as adults and represent their country and take part in Olympics game. Eventually, athletes that perform the best track time from their own country, or got titles in the junior level, or got the best records among all the college or universities, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ may qualify for entrance into the Olympic trials. And lastly, if they place high enough in the trial, they may be selected for the team. Furthermore, Olympics game is open to all age. The oldest Olympic medalist was 72 years old. For Paralympics instead, in order to participate in Paralympics, according to Paralympic Game 2010, online, athletes must be with disabilities such as, cerebral palsy, spinal injuries, amputated limbs, visual impairments or some other mobility disability. And that is the only requirement that required entering in Paralympics game. Athletes that participate in Paralympics with disability but do not interfere with their ability to participate in the game are all welcome to join the Paralympics game. Paralympics competitors are classified based on their level of disability during the game. And all the participants must learn the requirements, the rules and regulations and also the classification before the game. As usual, they are all selected in the national game before they participate in the Paralympics game. Thus, from the criteria above, these are the differences between these two events. And these are the different criteria of these two major sports games. 2.2: Time of event Olympics game is a major event which held every 4 years. However it is classified into 2 groups which are winter game and summer game. Therefore, in another word, it is held every 2 years but 4 years within their respective games. For example, in the year of 2004, summer Olympics game was held in Athens, Greece. In the year of 2008, it was held in Beijing, China. For winter Olympic game, in the year of 2006, it was held in Turin, Italy. And in the year of 2010, winter Olympic game was held in Vancouver, Canada. (Jennifer Rosenberg 2010) As you can see from the example, Olympics game was held every 2 years. However, many of us only concern on the summer Olympics games but not the winter Olympics games. For Paralympics, it is also the same as Olympics game. And it usually held immediately after the Olympic game. 2. 3: Games Played There are many different kinds of games played in Olympics and Paralympics. Some of the games played are the same but just different ways of playing. The similarities of games played for Olympics and Paralympics is it is categorize as summer and winter games. As an example, the last Olympics which is 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, there were a total of 28 summer sports. For Olympics Summer Games, categorized sports played on land and water sports. For sports played on land, there is archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, cycling, fencing, football, handball, tennis, table tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, judo, handball, and taekwondo. For water sports, there are swimming, diving, sailing, water polo, synchronized swimming. (Olympics Sports List 2007, online) Paralympics has also the games played in Olympics but the difference is the way of playing. For example instead of basketball, it is wheelchair basketball. Therefore, for Summer Sports Paralympics are archery, athletics, boccia, bowls, cycling, equestrian, football 5-a-Side, football 7-a-Side, goalball, Judo, powerlifting, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, volleyball, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair dance sport, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair tennis. Moreover, for winter Olympics games, it is categorized in a few categories which is Ice Sports, Alpine, Skiing and Snowboarding Events and Nordic Events. On the other side, Paralympics have only four winter sports which is alpine skiing, ice sledge hockey, nordic skiing, and wheelchair curling. There are only two winter sports which is similar, another two is not played in Olympics winter games. In conclusion, Olympics and Paralympics sports have summer and winter games. Some of the games played are the same but different ways of playing. 2.4: Rules of Sports There are many kinds of sports in Olympics and Paralympics. Every sport has their own rules. There is a few reasons that why the rules are set. The first reason is to make sure that the competition between the athletes must be fair. Another reason is to make sure that no drugs are taken and cheating during the competition. All the rules must be followed by all the athletes strictly. There are a few examples of the rules of sports played in Olympics and Paralympics. Below are the examples of the rules of 3 similar games played in Olympics and Paralympics. Although the games are the same but the rules is different. 2.4.1: Basketball For Olympics, the first sport is basketball. In basketball, there are four quarters in each game. There are 10 minutes per quarter for the four quarters. After the second quarter, there is a half time break. The half time break lasts 15 minutes long. By the end of the quarter, the score of both teams are the same, there will be overtime. This overtime period is an extra period that lasts for 5 minutes. Besides that, in Olympic basketball, the referee can awards two foul shots to a fouled player if the team committing the foul has more than four fouls in the period. (Rules 2007, Online) For basketball in Paralympics, a player can wheel the chair and bounce the ball, if the ball is picked up and placed on the players lap, the player is only allowed to push twice before they shoot, pass or dribble the ball again. Besides that, a player lifting his or her legs to gain an advantage is given a technical foul. On an inbounds play, the offensive player is not allowed to go into the key area until the ball is handed to the bounding player by the referee. (Wheelchair Basketball Rules 2005, online) 2.4.2: Rugby For Olympics, is rugby. In rugby, a player is allowed to carry, pass, kick and ground to score a point for the team. Rugby is also called as an end-zone invasion game. It means that each team focuses on gaining possession of the ball, taking it into the opponents territory, and placing it in the goal area or the end zone to get the score. There are two categories of players. First one is forwards which consist of 8 players and the second one is backs which consist of 7 players.( Basic Rules of Rugby, online) For Paralympics, is wheelchair rugby, it is played by two teams of up to 12 players. Only 4 players from each team may be on the court at any time. For this game, girls and boys can be in the same team to play a game. The court of the wheelchair rugby is 28 meters long and 15 meters wide. The required court markings are a centre line and circle, a key area measuring 8 meters wide and 1.75 meters deep at each end of the court. The goal line is the section of the end line within the key. Players score by carrying the ball across the line. ( IWRF, online) 2.4.3 Volleyball The third sport is volleyball. For volleyball, a team scores a point by grounding the ball on the opposite side of the court. In order to win the game, the team must win three sets of 25 points. Besides that, the four types of sanctions in volleyball. The first one is warning, second one is penalty, third one is expulsion and the last one is disqualified. Another common rule is the blocking rule. Blocking is when a team player attempts to reach higher than the net to intercept a ball, however as a rule only those players on the front line can attempt this play. Otherwise, there will be a penalty.( Volleyball Basic Rules, online) For sitting volleyball, the position of each player is determined and controlled by the position of their bottoms. Their hands and legs may lie in the attack or free zone outside the court. The referees in sitting volleyball must stand to the sides of the court because of the height of the net and the players are in seated position. The referees official hand signal is raising the upper hand and forearm positioned parallel to the floor and mirror imaging the lower hand and forearm. 2. 5: Mission and Vision of Olympics and Paralympics Every Olympics and Paralympics, the missions and vision is different. As a example, the mission and vision for Beijing Olympics is One World, One Dream. This mission and vision is to make the whole world to have the same target and same dream, in order to achieve the target and dream, they have to work together as one. This mission and vision is also use to motivate those athletes to work as hard as they can to achieve their target. (Beijing 2008, Online) For Paralympics, the mission and vision was To Enable Paralympics Athletes to Achieve Sporting Excellence and Inspire and Excite the World. This mission and vision is to make those people who have a disable to gain their confident in doing stuffs. Some of the people who have a disable will give up because of what they are, so they will need this motivation to have their confident back so that they wont feel that they are useless. (Vision Mission Values 2010, Online) For this coming Olympics and Paralympics in 2012, the mission and vision is to stage inspiration Olympics Games and Paralympics Games that capture the imagination of young people around the world and leave a lasting legacy. This mission and vision is to make the new generation to last the sports spirit. (London 2012 Vision for the Olympics 2010, Online) 3.0: Conclusion In conclusion, after comparing and contrast of the criteria, time of event, games played, rules of games and mission and vision of Olympics and Paralympics, there are similarities and differences between Olympics and Paralympics. For the criteria, Olympics and Paralympics has different criteria to achieve. Besides that, for the time for event is held is similar but the only difference is Paralympics is held only after Olympics. For the games played, there are some games is that same sports but just different ways of playing and the similarities is that both Olympics and Paralympics have summer and winter games. Moreover, the rules of the games are totally different although the game is the same. Finally, although both of these events is different but the mission and vision of these events is similar. Olympics and Paralympics are events that challenge athletes all around the world, able-bodied and disabled alike. It is truly an event that helps to ensure personal confidents, dignity and also countries name.

Olympia Sanctuary Essay

The sanctuary of Olympia lies in the alluvial valley formed by the confluence of the rivers Kladeos and Adelpheos, bounded to the north by the wooded hill of Kronos. The sanctuary of Zeus is located in the northwest part of the Peloponnese. Olympia can be identified as a non-urban sanctuary, and consequently, as a Panhellenic sanctuary. The use of the term Panhellenic, in present purposes, indicates a major shrine in a Greek territory that is not dominated by a major polis or ethos. Zeus’ sanctuary was under the government of Elis, and, in the early period, Elis was considered a weak government. In the Greek world, all communities were religious, and, worshipping the gods, as well as taking part in religious festivals, were occasions for different groups to meet together. The location of the sanctuary of Olympia, makes it a good place for meeting and competitions between rival individuals and states. H.A Shapiro (2007) has stated that ‘a truly Panhellenic shrine was, in Pindar’s phrase a pandokos naos, an â€Å"all welcoming temple† (Pindar Pythian 8.61-2): it was open, in theory at least, to everyone.’ From this sentence we can deduct that, the Panhellenic shrine is the literal antithesis of a polis: it is Greek, civilised, but it stands in the place where the polis is not. Franà §ois de Polignac (1995) has argued that ‘the sanctuary, the place where two worlds meet, is accordingly seen as the stable point where a controlled passage from a world to the other is possible’ ; so, non-urban sanctuaries ‘manifest the integration of deities who from being potentially hostile, become beneficent for the communities that makes room for them within its religious life’. In ancient greek, the words used to define a sanctuary were: hieron (sacred), and temenos (from the verb temno which means ‘to cut off’ , in other words it suggested the idea of a place set aside). The greek words for defining a sanctuary underlined the idea of a sanctuary as a sacred area, a place away from the world of humans in which the gods were venerated. 3. Plan of the Sanctuary of Zeus, Olympia (http://shelton.berkeley.edu/175c/OlympiaPlan.JPG) * The early years and the votive objects During the eight century we assist to a gradual transformation of the sanctuary from a rural shrine, into a Panhellenic sanctuary. Catherine Morgan identifies this fundamental transformation in two main reasons. The first one was considering Olympia as a good location ‘for conspicuous consumption by aristocrats, via athletics and votive offerings’ . The second one, was that, shrines like this one, ’helped to resolve internal conflicts in the emergent states by means of their oracles’. However, the presence of votive deposits datable around 800 BC ca, suggests that Olympia was originally used as a meeting place for chiefs from Arcadia and Messenia, to make offers to the gods in order to have success in battle, to celebrate victories, and to give thanks for good fortune. During the eight and the seventh century, we can see a consistent increase in the number of votive objects. According to Franà §ois de Polignac (1995) the quantity and the quality of the offerings dating from the eight and the seventh century is an index of the popularity of religious acts in intra-urban sanctuaries. Among the most popular offers, we can identify: figures of animals and mythological beasts (such as: griffins, sphinxes, birds and bulls), figures of warriors (probably as a symbol of the victories of their donors), pieces of armours, and terra-cotta and metal figurines of horses and chariots. The use of metal and terra-cotta, indicates the presence of wealthy citizens, because the sanctuary lies in a landscape dominated by cliffs and rocks. On the other hand, offers of sheep and cattle, indicate activities of the lower classes. There is also the presence of bronze tripod cauldrons (Fig. 4), that were probably made in the home communities of their donors. Tripod cauldrons, indicate the religious activities of population that were living far away from the place of the sanctuary, and, most likely, these objects were an index of their wealth. Morgan (1990) has argued that ‘in the eight century costly dedications at Olympia served a domestic political purpose by reinforcing the position of the elite within the emerging state’. 4. Reconstruction of a large tripod in bronze, with horse handle attachments. Original fragments from the sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia, later eight century BC. Olympia, Archeological Museum. Photo: A. Loxà ¬as During the eighth century, surprisingly there is no presence of pottery. This suggests that, probably, in the early years, the sanctuary was more related to individual purposes, than communal values. However, in the seventh century communal activities became important, in fact, plates, jugs and cups were used, whilst dedications of tripod cauldrons diminished. The temple of Hera, or Heraion, (Fig.3 ) is located in the north of the Altis (the sacred precinct). The Heraion is the oldest peripteral temple in the sanctuary: it was built around 590 BC. The architecture of the temple falls in the category of the early Doric style. The temple is a rectangular chamber with a peripteros of six by sixteen columns. (Fig. 6) These columns were originally made of wood, but throughout the years, were replaced by columns made of stone. This temple is considered significant, because it marks the transition from the construction with mud brick and wood, to the use of the stone. To the east of this temple stood a row of eleven (possibly twelve) thesauroi, overlooking the Archaic stadium, and built mostly in the sixth century. (Fig.3) ‘A treasure house, or thesaurus’ is a ‘small temple like building, built by individual states to hold the offerings of their wealthy citizens’. However, a thesaurus, cannot be considered just as a strongbox to hold gifts for the gods. The thesauroi were a way for the elite to bring a little bit of the polis into the Panhellenic shrine throughout costly dedications, and, also a way to show their economical power, and, at the same time, a religious interest. H.A Shapiro stated that ‘these buildings transform upper-class extravagance into civic pride’. The oldest treasury at Olympia, not surprisingly, was built in 640 BC. by a tyrant: Myron of Sicyon, probably in order to commemorate a chariot-victory. This treasury contained two thalamoi mad of bronze, and in these chambers there were inscriptions that, according to Pausanias (6.19) ‘had been dedicated by Myron and the demos, or commons of Sicyon’. The bronze was probably brought from Tartessos in far-off Spain, and it probably represented a way for Myron, to boast the maritime power of his city. The lower classes and the tyrant were collaborating together in order to accomplish the dedicatory practices of the wealthy. The history of this thesaurus, furnishes evidences to display in our mind a picture of the workings of the archaic tyranny. * Olympic games The Olympic games are traditionally dated to 776 BC. , but we cannot identify it as a precise date. They were a festival held every four years at the same time of the year, to commemorate Zeus. The games were not just an athletic event, but, they were deeply related to religion, and open only to Greek males. The actual prize for Olympic games, was just a wreath to be worn around the head, dedicated to a favoured god. In case of victory, winners were allowed to erect statues representing a replica of themselves in the shrine. This tradition is datable around the 544 BC., but, most likely, it may go back much more earlier. The prestige obtained after and athletic victory was a great source of power for athletes, that , back in their hometown, were celebrated with poems, free meals, cash, choice seats at city functions. This was happening because, with their victory, they were bringing glory to their hometown. However, some lyric poets, such as Xenophanes (fr. 2.1-22), believed that the society was giving excessive rewards to athletes, whilst the wisdom of poets was not really considered. Xenophanes claimed that, even wise poets, should receive recognitions from the society as well as athletes. In the end, we cannot deny that Olympic games, were an occasion to gather athletes, as well as citizens from all over the Greek world. The cycle of games, represented ‘a means by which the ideology of Panhellenism was spread’. * Conclusions An answer in why we investigate Greek sanctuaries, may be found in the fact that they constituted the main ‘physical manifestation of the belief system of the ancient Greeks.’ Religion during the Archaic period , as evidenced by the literary sources, was a consistent element in the everyday life of Greeks. ‘The â€Å"establishment of a state-framework for pilgrimage† was a political and ideological process’, and, ‘dedications, inscriptions, buildings, stones, statues, anecdotes, and poems are the material traces of this process’. Analysing religion, helps us to understand also social and economical aspects of the greek culture. Therefore, studying sanctuaries is a good way to clarify our understanding of how greek religion was practiced. Bibliography * S. E. Alcock and R. G. Osborne (eds.), Classical Archaeology, (Chichester, 2012) * John Pedley, Sanctuaries and the Sacred in the Ancient Greek World (Cambridge, 2005) * H.A. Shapiro (ed.), The Cambridge companion to Archaic Greece, (Cambridge University Press, 2007) * Franà §ois de Polignac, Cults, territory, and the origins of the Greek cirty-state, (University of Chicago Press,1995) * M. L. West (tr.), Greek Lyric Poetry (Oxford, 1999) ——————————————– [ 1 ]. H.A Shapiro, The Cambridge companion to Archaic Greece Cambridge University Press, 2007, (p. 226) [ 2 ]. Franà §ois de Polignac, Cults, territory, and the origins of the Greek city-stat, University of Chicago press,1995 (p.36) [ 3 ]. H.A Shapiro, The Cambridge companion to Archaic Greece, Cambridge University Press, 2007 (p. 226) The author quotes Catherine Morgan. [ 4 ]. H.A Shapiro, The Cambridge companion to Archaic Greece, Cambridge University Press, 2007 (p. 228) Morgan 1990, 102 [ 5 ]. A Peripteros is a temple surrounded by a portico with columns. [ 6 ]. H.A Shapiro, The Cambridge companion to Archaic Greece, Cambridge University Press, 2007 (p.240) [ 7 ]. H.A Shapiro, The Cambridge companion to Archaic Greece, Cambridge University Press 2007 (p.241) [ 8 ]. H.A Shapiro, The Cambridge companion to Archaic Greece, Cambridge University Press 2007 (p.244) [ 9 ]. M. L. West (tr.), Greek Lyric Poetry, Oxford, 1999 (p.p.157-158) [ 10 ]. John Pedley, Sanctuaries and the sacred in the Ancient Greek world, Cambridge University Press, 2005 (p.134) [ 11 ]. John Pedley, Sanctuaries and the sacred in the Ancient Greek world, Cambridge University Press, 2005 (p.1) [ 12 ]. H.A Shapiro, The Cambridge companion to Archaic Greece, Cambridge University Press 2007 (p.251)

Biography of Max Weber

Max Weber was born in Erfurt, Prussia (present-day Germany) on April 21, 1864. He is considered one of the three founding fathers of sociology, alongside Karl Marx, and Emile Durkheim. His text The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism was considered a founding text in sociology. Early Life and Education Weber’s father was greatly involved in public life and so his home was constantly immersed in both politics and academia. Weber and his brother thrived in this intellectual atmosphere. In 1882, he enrolled at the University of Heidelberg, but after two years left to fulfill his year of military service at Strassburg. After his release from the military, Weber finished his studies at the University of Berlin, earning his doctorate in 1889 and joining the University of Berlin’s faculty, lecturing and consulting for the government. Career and Later Life In 1894, Weber was appointed a professor of economics at the University of Freiburg and then was granted the same position at the University of Heidelberg in 1896. His research at the time focused mainly on economics and legal history. After Weber’s father died in 1897, two months after a severe quarrel that was never resolved. Weber became prone to depression, nervousness, and insomnia, making it difficult for him to fulfill his duties as a professor. He was thus forced to reduce his teaching and eventually left in the fall of 1899. For five years he was intermittently institutionalized, suffering sudden relapses after efforts to break such cycles by traveling. He finally resigned his professorship in late 1903. Also in 1903, Weber became the associate editor of the Archives for Social Science and Social Welfare where his interests lied in more fundamental issues of social sciences. Soon Weber began to publish some of his papers in this journal, most notably his essay The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, which became his most famous work and was later published as a book. In 1909, Weber co-founded the German Sociological Association and served as its first treasurer. He resigned in 1912, however, and unsuccessfully tried to organize a left-wing political party to combine social-democrats and liberals. At the outbreak of World War I, Weber, aged 50, volunteered for service and was appointed as a reserve officer and put in charge of organizing the army hospitals in Heidelberg, a role he fulfilled until the end of 1915. Webers most powerful impact on his contemporaries came in the last years of his life, when, from 1916 to 1918, he argued powerfully against Germanys annexationist war goals and in favor of a strengthened parliament. After assisting in the drafting of the new constitution and the founding of the German Democratic Party, Weber became frustrated with politics and resumed teaching at the University of Vienna. He then taught at the University of Munich. Weber died on June 14, 1920. Major Publications The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1904)The City (1912)The Sociology of Religion (1922)General Economic History (1923)The Theory of Social and Economic Organization (1925) Sources: Max Weber. (2011). Biography.com. http://www.biography.com/articles/Max-Weber-9526066Johnson, A. (1995). The Blackwell Dictionary of Sociology. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers.

Cacomistle Facts (Bassariscus sumichrasti)

The cacomistle is a shy, nocturnal mammal. The name refers to members of the species Bassariscus sumichrasti, but its often applied to the closely related species Bassariscus astutus. B. astutus is also called the ringtail or ring-tailed cat. The name cacomistle comes from the Nahuatl word for half cat or half mountain lion. The cacomistle is not a type of cat. It is in the family Procyonidae, which includes the raccoon and coati. Fast Facts: Cacomistle Scientific Name: Bassariscus sumichrastiCommon Names: Cacomistle, cacomixl, ringtail, ring-tailed cat, miners cat, bassariskBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 15-18 inch body; 15-21 inch tailWeight: 2-3 poundsLifespan: 7 yearsDiet: OmnivoreHabitat: Mexico and Central AmericaPopulation: UnknownConservation Status: Least Concern Description The genus name Bassariscus comes from the Greek word bassaris, which means fox. Cacomistles have masked faces and striped tails like raccoons, but their bodies appear more like those of foxes or cats. Cacomistles have grayish brown fur with white eye patches, pale underparts, and black-and-white ringed tails. They have large eyes, whiskered, pointed faces and long, pointed ears. On average, they range in size from 15 to 18 inches in length with 15 to 21 inch tails. Males tend to be slightly longer than females, but both sexes weigh between 2 and 3 pounds. Habitat and Distribution Cacomistles live in tropical forests of Mexico and Central America. They are found as far south as Panama. They prefer the middle to upper levels of the forest canopy. Cacomistles adapt to a range of habitats, so they may be found in pastures and secondary forests. The cacomistle lives from southern Mexico to Panama. Chermundy /  Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license Cacomistle vs. Ringtail The ringtail (B. astutus) lives in the western United States and Mexico. Its range overlaps that of the cacomistle (B. sumichrasti). The two species are commonly confused, but there are differences between them. The ringtail has rounded ears, semi-retractable claws, and stripes all the way to the end of its tail. The cacomistle has pointed ears, tails that fade to black at the ends, and non-retractable claws. Also, ringtails tend to give birth to multiple cubs, while cacomistles have single births. Ringtails have rounded ears and fully banded tails. Michael Nolan / Getty Images Diet and Behavior Cacomistles are omnivores. They feed on insects, rodents, lizards, snakes, birds, eggs, amphibians, seeds, and fruit. Some use bromeliads, which live high in the forest canopy, as a source of water and prey. Cacomistles hunt at night. They are solitary and remain in large ranges (50 acres), so they are rarely seen. Reproduction and Offspring Cacomistles mate in the spring. The female is only receptive to the male for a single day. After mating, the pair immediately separate. Gestation lasts approximately two months. The female builds a nest in a tree and gives birth to a single blind, toothless, deaf cub. The cub is weaned around three months of age. After its mother teaches it how to hunt, the cub leaves to establish its own territory. In the wild, cacomistles live between 5 and 7 years. In captivity, they may live 23 years. Conservation Status Both B. sumichrasti and B. astutus are classified as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The population size and trend for both species is unknown. However, both species are thought to be common throughout most of their ranges. Threats Habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation due to deforestation is the most significant threat to cacomistle survival. Cacomistles are also hunted for fur and meat in Mexico and Honduras. Cacomistles and Humans Ringtails and cacomistles are easily tamed. Settlers and miners kept them as pets and mousers. Today, they are classified as exotic pets and are legal to keep in some U.S. states. Sources Coues, E. Bassariscus, a new generic name in mammalogy. Science. 9 (225): 516, 1887. doi:10.1126/science.ns-9.225.516Garcia, N.E., Vaughan, C.S.; McCoy, M.B. Ecology of Central American Cacomistles in Costa Rican cloud forest. Vida Silvestre Neotropical 11: 52-59, 2002.Pino, J., Samudio Jr, R., Gonzà ¡lez-Maya, J.F.; Schipper, J. Bassariscus sumichrasti. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T2613A45196645. do:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T2613A45196645.enPoglayen-Neuwall, I. Procyonids. In: S. Parker (ed.), Grzimeks Encyclopedia of Mammals, pp. 450-468. McGraw-Hill, New York, USA, 1989.Reid, F., Schipper, J.; Timm, R. Bassariscus astutus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T41680A45215881. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41680A45215881.en