Kinkajou, this animal accustomed to nocturnal life and the tropical regions of Central and South America, found itself on a highway rest area in Yakima, Washington state.
An animal resembling Stitch or Pokémon surprised travelers at a highway rest area near Yakima, in Washington State in the United States, as reported by the local daily. Yakima Herald-Republic. This animal, close to the raccoon, is a kinkajou. It is native to Central and South America, this animal, close to the raccoon, is a kinkajou.
Hello from our friendly Kinkajou! What’s that you say? It’s a nocturnal rainforest animal. Why was it at our east Selah Creek Rest Area over the wknd? We have no idea, but our friends with Dept. of Fish & Wildlife rescued him. We don’t know if it was dropped off or escaped. pic.twitter.com/1Xsyu8bOH2
— WSDOT East (@WSDOT_East) https://twitter.com/WSDOT_East/status/1805283095446438133?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
A nocturnal animal
“It’s a nocturnal rainforest animal. Why was it at our east Selah Creek rest area this weekend? We have no idea, but our friends at the Department of Fish and Wildlife rescued him. We don’t know if he was dropped off or if he escaped.wonders the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Department of Fish and Wildlife officials rescued the procyonid beast and contacted the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to find it a safe haven.
Taking refuge in a zoo
The Tacoma Zoo finally agreed to take him in, while they found a long-term solution. The zoo reminds on its Twitter account that it is an animal which is “hunted for their fur” although he does not “not be endangered”. After a health examination, he was described as a young male.
This kinkajou’s survival is a testament to the collaborative efforts of state wildlife law enforcement and the Zoo, highlighting the dangers of the illegal pet trade. While kinkajous are not endangered, they are hunted for fur and the exotic pet trade-threatening their population
— Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (@PtDefianceZoo) https://twitter.com/PtDefianceZoo/status/1805710676570390858?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The zoo adds that “the trade in exotic animals threatens their population” and evokes “the dangers of the illegal pet trade”.
