A raccoon in Seattle named “Jimothy,” which people have compared to cryptids like the chupacabra, is quickly becoming a local celebrity.
Thanks to an Instagram video that went viral, gaining hundreds of thousands of likes and numerous reposts, showing the odd-looking raccoon dashing across a yard, Jimothy has gained significant notoriety, especially on Seattle’s Reddit pages. Since then, other sightings of the unusual-looking raccoon have been circulating online.
So, who, or what, exactly is Jimothy? Well, it appears to be a raccoon with a deformed spine currently living in the Seattle suburb of Ballard. Marcie Logsdon, an associate professor at Washington State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, told the Seattle Times that a congenital deformity in its spine likely causes its unique appearance.
Kiana Hall, the Instagram user whose video has received over six million views, told the Seattle Times that she called the raccoon Jimothy “because he looked like a Jimothy.”
“For our 13th anniversary, [we] were graced with the presence of Jimothy the raccoon with short spine syndrome. Praise Jimothy!!” Hall captioned the Instagram video showing Jimothy running through a yard and up a set of stone stairs.
“I got very confused at what I was seeing,” Hall told the Times. “I just have never seen any other animal like it.”
Jimothy sightings are coming fast and furious
In another sighting shared on Reddit, Jimothy negotiated a balcony railing, squeezed between two bars, and explored for a little while before leaving. Several other local residents have also snapped photos of the unusual-looking raccoon.
“I desire a repository of more Jimothy videos and pictures, PLEEEEASE,” read the top comment on that post.
“I desire a ‘hot Jimothy summer’ mosaic,” another Redditor wrote.
For those worried about the raccoon’s spine, Carrie Schneider of The Family Pet Veterinary Hospital told KIRO News, “It does look quite unusual, but it is a condition that happens in other mammals as well.”
Logsdon also said about Jimothy, “The fact that he’s made it to this age tells me that he’s managing and that he’s adapting. I was surprised and honestly a little bit inspired that he’s that resilient.”