Rainforest animal called a kinkajou rescued from dusty highway rest stop in Washington state

Associated Press

YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) — Why did nan kinkajou transverse nan road? And what’s a kinkajou, anyway?

One of nan mammals — which look for illustration a transverse betwixt a monkey and a mini carnivore — was recovered acold from its normal rainforest residence this week astatine a road remainder extremity amid nan rolling sagebrush plains of cardinal Washington state, officials say.

Kinkajous person prehensile tails, and this 1 was spotted Sunday climbing connected a gangly woody station on Interstate 82 southeast of Yakima, nan authorities Department of Transportation said successful a station connected X.

“We don’t cognize if it was dropped disconnected aliases escaped,” nan station said. The animal was rescued by nan authorities Fish and Wildlife Department.

Kinkajous are carnivores that unrecorded successful tropical rainforests from confederate Mexico done Brazil, according to nan Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium successful Tacoma, wherever this small animal was taken to unrecorded temporarily.

With sandy yellowish fur, information ears and large acheronian eyes, they are tin of grasping objects and are often mistakenly called primates, nan zoo said.

“Despite their cuteness, kinkajous do not make bully pets,” nan zoo said.

This peculiar kinkajou is being quarantined successful nan zoo’s infirmary to guarantee it’s not carrying immoderate diseases, and it will acquisition a broad wellness exam this week, officials said.

Kinkajous are not endangered but are hunted for their fur, and nan forbidden exotic pet waste and acquisition threatens their population, according to nan zoo.