The Pacific Northwest is a hotbed for cryptids, from Bigfoot, aka Sasquatch, to its lesser-known cousin, Batsquatch; the Lake Chelan Dragon (Washington‘s Loch Ness Monster, essentially); and the ginormous Tacoma Narrows Octopus. But there’s a new cryptid in town: a bizarrely blunted, weirdly rounded, delightfully deformed raccoon dubbed “Jimothy” by fans. Jimothy has become a Seattle legend, especially after a video of him went viral. A truly wild wildlife encounter View this post on Instagram Kiana Hall had been celebrating their 13th anniversary with their partner when they saw it: a gray, abnormally round, furry ball with legs trotting across the yard. “I got very confused at what I was seeing,” Hall told The Seattle Times. “I just have never seen any other animal like it.”  The animal in question was a raccoon, although the only raccoon-like thing about this critter was its face, which bore the familiar bandit-like mask. Wanting to introduce the creature, which they named “Jimothy” (because “he looked like a Jimothy.” Fair enough), Hall published the video the next day on Instagram, thanking Jimothy for “gracing” the celebration with his presence. A viral legend is born The video, which quickly racked up more than 6 million views, thrust Jimothy into the online spotlight. Before long, another sighting surfaced, showing Jimothy momentarily squeezing between two balcony bars. Now, you’ll regularly see him mentioned on general Seattle subreddits, as well as niche communities like r/NatureIsLit and r/Creepy. Jimothy on our balcony byu/tennisn00btc inSeattle Considering Seattle’s fondness for unusual folklore, Jimothy fits right in. In a city known for Bigfoot enthusiasts and tales of mysterious creatures roaming nearby forests, an unusually shaped raccoon has been enthusiastically welcomed into the unofficial pantheon of local legends. Unlike many cryptids, however, Jimothy has the advantage of repeatedly showing up on camera. No wonder people are obsessed with him. “He needs to be protected at all costs,” wrote one fan.  Another suggested, “Petition to make Jimothy the state animal or Seattle mascot.” How Jimothy got his signature lewk As for what gives Jimothy his unique form, the general consensus is that he has short spine syndrome, a very rare congenital condition that significantly shortens the spine. The condition gives affected animals an extremely compact appearance, with no visible neck and a shortened or bobbed tail. We generally associate short spine syndrome with dogs, but it appears raccoons can be affected as well. Veterinarians have documented short spine syndrome only rarely, making every known case unusual. On the bright side, animals born with the condition can still enjoy active lives if their internal organs are healthy and they’re able to move comfortably. Jimothy’s energetic scampering has reassured many viewers who were initially concerned by his appearance. Indeed, Marcie Logsdon, an associate professor at Washington State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, noted that Jimothy’s “spryness” is a good indicator that he is, for the most part, happy and healthy. She also advises people to leave the little guy “to his own devices” rather than attempt to intervene. Jimothy sighting videos, however, seem perfectly acceptable, so let’s help this semi-supernatural trash panda maintain his rightful place among urban legends. The post Seattle’s newest and weirdest local celebrity is a stubby mutant raccoon named Jimothy appeared first on Upworthy.