A Washington police officer was puzzled when he discovered a strange creature wandering near a rest stop, especially since he’d never seen a kinkajou before! According to KCEN 6 News, this bizarre-looking little animal was clinging to a road sign. Police captured the fuzzy vagrant and delivered him to Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, where employees were able to identify him. Interestingly enough, kinkajous are usually found in more tropical climates. No one knows how this one ended up near Yakima, Washington!
Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium shared an update on the critter’s condition on social media. As you can imagine, the kinkajou found at a rest stop far outside his natural habitat was pretty underweight. After his check-up, experts determined that the little guy was still fairly young. He did appear to have some parasites, but otherwise seemed to be in good health.
“The rescued kinkajou that was found abandoned at a rest stop over the weekend underwent a comprehensive wellness exam,” the zoo wrote in their caption. “He [is] in fair health overall but is very thin, weighing only 2.5 pounds.”
Meet the adorable kinkajou!
After sharing the rescued animal’s condition, Point Defiance Zoo included some fun facts about this unusual creature.
“Kinkajous are small carnivores with prehensile tails, often mistakenly called primates,” they wrote. “Despite their cuteness, kinkajous do not make cute pets.”
Although it may be disappointing to learn that you probably can’t take one of these adorable critters home, it is good news to hear that this one is doing so well! Commenters were so glad that the kinkajou rescued from the rest stop was getting the necessary care.
“Gosh he’s so cute and precious,” one user wrote. “Thank you for taking care of him.”
Another added, “Hope he makes a full recovery!! What a cutie!”
We may never know how this kinkajou ended up at a rest stop in Washington, but it definitely looks like he’s in good hands now.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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