Residents of Seattle might just have been left sleepless recently at the sight of a ‘mutant’ creature who’s been roaming the streets and scurrying around yards.
A video of the animal wandering around the north-western neighbourhood of Ballard has gone viral online with many folk wondering what the creature – who has a round body, short frame and unnaturally long legs – could be.
But there’s actually a simple explanation.
The creature in question is actually a raccoon, named ‘Jimothy’ by residents, who has a rare condition that alters the shape of his body.
And while he might look a bit unusual at first glance, he’s captured the hearts of locals after becoming an unlikely internet celebrity.
Jimothy first attracted attention after Seattle resident Kiana Hall spotted him crouched beneath a parked car while she was out walking with her partner.
She watched as the creature ran across a patch of grass and climbed a flight of stars before disappearing over a fence, capturing the footage online and posting it to Instagram, giving the raccoon the affectionate but unusual name because she thought he ‘looked like a Jimothy’.
Naturally the clip attracted a flood of comments from folk who’d fallen in love with Jimothy. ‘Protect him at all costs,’ one person said, while another added: ‘I just want to hug Jimothy.’
Over on Reddit he also attracted his fair share of attention, with one user saying: ‘I’ve seen this dude in our Ballard backyard multiple times over the past year or so.’ Another commented: ‘This is the most Seattle animal possible.’
Experts have suggested that Jimothy’s unusual appearance is caused by short spine syndrome — a rare congenital condition that prevents parts of the spine from developing, significantly shortening it.
Typically it sees section of the vertebrae remaining as cartilage rather than developing into bone, with these areas fusing together, leaving sufferers with a shortened back, while legs continue to grow as expected.
However, there’s good news for Jimothy as experts have said he appears healthy — and could likely survive in the wild.
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Marcie Logsdon, an associate professor at Washington State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, told the Seattle Times: ‘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.’
Meanwhile Hall told the paper: ‘I think times have been hard for everyone, so I’m really happy to have posted something online that reaches so many people and makes them so happy.
‘I just hope [Jimothy] continues to live his life freely and I hope he can be healthy.’
The lifespan of a healthy raccoon can vary wildly depending on its circumstances.
Those living in the wild can expect an average lifespan of just 2-3 years — with diseases such as rabies and distemper taking a toll on populations, alongside the dangers they face from predators such as coyotes, bobcats and other raccoons. Many are also killed by cars and other vehicles.
However, the lifespan of those living in captivity, away from such threats, can be considerably longer — as much as 20 years in some cases.