SEATTLE — A raccoon in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood has the internet buzzing.
The animal, which people are calling “Jimothy,” has gone viral for its unique look.
A viral Instagram post captured the strange-looking raccoon running through a yard. It racked up hundreds of thousands of likes and has been reposted countless times.
Its key characteristic is the close spacing of its front and rear legs, which makes its torso look almost spherical.
“I think it’s exciting because he is kind of like a local celebrity here in Ballard,” Omar Gonzalez said. “I would love to see him IRL (in real life), but I haven’t yet.”
Since that post, multiple people have come forward to report sightings of the raccoon. In one clip, it is seen walking around on a deck. Other images show it drinking out of a dog bowl in a backyard and sitting in a tree.
Its bizarre appearance and elusiveness have prompted some to compare it to cryptids like the chupacabra or Bigfoot.
“Kind of has some sort of physical abnormality, kind of looks a little bit like a cryptid but very cute,” Brigitte D’autremont said. “Almost a little supernatural, kind of like Bigfoot or a yeti or something, becoming infamous really quickly.”
Many online speculate that the raccoon’s strange appearance may be caused by a rare disorder called short spine syndrome. KIRO 7 brought that unofficial diagnosis to a veterinarian.
“It appears that this raccoon, which is a local neighbor, has a congenital spine shortening disease,” said Carrie Schneider of The Family Pet Veterinary Hospital. “It does look quite unusual, but it is a condition that happens in other mammals as well.”
The creature may not be supernatural, but it is unusual enough to earn a whole neighborhood’s attention.
“I hope he makes it,” D’autremont said. “You always worry about animals that are a little different like that. You want to make sure that they survive in the wild.”
KIRO 7 reached out to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife about the raccoon.
A spokesperson said they have not received any calls about the creature and that it is not clear what caused its unusual appearance.
WDFW said to leave the raccoon alone if you see it, as it appears to be capable of moving and feeding itself.