North Richland Hills Police rescued an exotic pet on Thursday.
Officers responded to reports of a “kangaroo or monkey” seeking shelter from the heat outside of business on Rufe Snow Drive and Loop 820, according to NRHPD.
When officers arrived, they were able to safely capture and identify the animal as a kinkajou.
Kinkajous are small, tree-dwelling mammals native to the rainforests of Central and South America, but are sometimes kept as exotic pets. The animals are described as playful, generally quiet and docile. However, they can occasionally be aggressive if agitated.
In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that pet kinkajous can be carriers of the raccoon roundworm, which can infect humans and even cause death.
North Richland Hills Animal Services Center is safely caring for the animal.