Seattle's round raccoon Jimothy becomes a viral star
Watch Seattle's round raccoon Jimothy become a viral star: video from Seattle's Ballard neighborhood shows the unusual trash panda with a shortened spine and spherical shape, and the online clips have made the round raccoon an internet celebrity almost overnight among animal fans. The story has quickly joined the internet's favorite odd-animal moments.
Key Takeaways
- Jimothy is a Seattle raccoon filmed in Ballard whose shortened spine gives him a spherical look.
- Resident Kiana Hall posted the first viral Instagram video and named him Jimothy.
- A Washington State University veterinarian said the look is likely a congenital spine deformity.
- Experts and locals say he still appears to move well and has been embraced as a cute city cryptid.
Why does Seattle's raccoon Jimothy look so round?
Jimothy's fame starts with his shape. According to UPI's report, the unusual Seattle raccoon has a shortened spine that gives him a unique, spherical appearance.
Marcie Logsdon, an associate professor at Washington State University's Veterinary Teaching Hospital, said Jimothy was likely born this year. She could not diagnose him without an exam, but said his look is likely the result of a congenital deformity of his spine.
Logsdon also said Jimothy appears to be getting around OK despite his appearance, which she called a sign of good health.
Who filmed the viral Ballard raccoon video?
Kiana Hall captured video when she spotted the non-traditional trash panda emerging from beneath a car in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. "I got very confused at what I was seeing," Hall told The Seattle Times. "I just have never seen any other animal like it."
Hall posted the clip to Instagram and dubbed the round, short-necked raccoon Jimothy. "He looked like a Jimothy," she explained. The footage quickly went viral, and more videos of Jimothy soon appeared online.
Fans of weird-but-true animal stories can find more coverage in our Bizarre News & Florida Man section.
Why are Seattle residents calling Jimothy a cryptid?
Seattle residents have embraced Jimothy as a beloved local cryptid. Brigitte D'autremont told KIRO-TV he has "some sort of physical abnormality," looks "a little bit like a cryptid but very cute," and feels "almost a little supernatural," comparing the sudden fame to Bigfoot or a yeti.
Hall said she was glad the internet response stayed warm. "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," she said. "I just hope he continues to live his life freely and I hope he can be healthy."
What should viewers remember about Jimothy?
Jimothy is an odd-looking wild raccoon, not a pet or a novelty act. Wildlife experts have only assessed him from afar so far, and Logsdon stressed that a full diagnosis would require an examination.
For now, the takeaway is simple: a Ballard sighting, a catchy name, and a rare spinal shape combined to create one of the year's most shareable animal moments—without anyone needing to disturb the raccoon's free-roaming life.