What Am I Looking At?
Have you ever seen something that you couldn’t quite explain? A strange creature that left you scratching your head wondering if you saw what you just saw? Well, thanks to modern technology, we all carry cameras in our pockets that can share videos world-wide in seconds. So that “No, I swear that’s what I saw!” moment goes from being a random tall tale to an internet sensation!
…and in wobbles Jimothy.
Mid-July, a Seattle couple was walking through town when they spotted something that peeked their curiosity. An animal. Yet, the obvious identification of the animal was not an immediate synapse as this was unlike any other creature they had seen. Their first thought was a cat, as it scurried underneath a vehicle. That didn’t seem quite right though. If it were a cat, it was indeed unique. Kiana Hall pulled out her phone and recorded this video of the creature running off like something from an alien movie.
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She posted the video online and dubbed the strange-looking creature Jimothy. Within hours, the video had been seen by over 5 million viewers and Jimothy quickly became the newest animal celebrity.
This creature walks a fine line between confusingly creepy and pillow-pet adorable! Turns out, it’s a raccoon thought to have a rare spine deformity that is most commonly seen in dogs. Very few cases of wildlife with this abnormality have been reported. It is hard to be certain by just watching a 5-second video but experts guess this raccoon has short spine syndrome in which the vertebrae compress and fuse making the animals neck and body shorter.
Raccoons are amazingly resilient animals with the ability to adapt in many different situations. Jimothy is no exception. According to Marcie Logsdon, a professor at Washington State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, for the animal to have reached this age seemingly energetic and spirited is an excellent sign that it is healthy and thriving. In spite of it’s rare form, Jimothy seems to be getting by just fine making him or her an inspiration to us all!
A Cryptid Connection
The first time I saw Jimothy, I immediately thought cryptid. I wasn’t the only one either as many commented on the video comparing Jimothy to the Chupacabra among other things. It made me think of the Squonk, sighted in Pennsylvania in the early 1900’s. It was described as a smaller creature, like the size of a dog or pig, with excess skin loosely draped on it’s body which was covered in warts, moles and sporadic patches of hair. It’s legs were short and skinny. It was said that you could track it by following the trail of tears it left behind as it constantly wept in despair.
When seeing this illustration from the above mentioned book, I noticed immediate similarities between Jimothy and the Squonk. To me, it looks just like how a wild boar might appear if it too had short spine syndrome. How interesting would it be if that’s in fact what it was? Makes you wonder how many of these mysterious creatures are simply known animals with birth defects. If it weren’t for cell phones, Jimothy could have been the next cryptid.
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Want to Learn More About Cryptids?
Check out my series of mysterious beasts and legends that have been reported all over the world, including the Squonk. I’ve drawn my own rendition of each cryptid with unique pen-and-ink sketches. I created this project for Inktober.
What’s Your Story?
Have you experienced your own creature feature? I would love to hear your story! Leave a comment below and share your experience. If you’re in Washington, maybe you’ve been fortunate enough to see Jimothy bumbling about!?
Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you enjoyed Jimothy’s debut and remember…
…our only limitations are the ones we put on ourselves.
Stay weird, free spirits!
“Once we except our limits, we go beyond them.” -Albert Einstein
Raccoon Symbolism
If you would like to learn about Raccoon symbolism, you can check out my post here to discover the spiritual lessons this fuzzy feral has to teach us.
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