North Richland Hills, Texas – Police rescued a kinkajou, an exotic animal native to Central and South America, after it was found seeking shelter from the summer heat behind a trash can outside a Mod Pizza business.

North Richland Hills police were called Thursday after the unusual animal was reported as possibly a monkey or a small kangaroo. It was later identified as a kinkajou.

Kinkajous, also known as “honey bears,” are sometimes mistaken for primates but are actually more closely related to raccoons.

The rescued animal had burns on its paws from the hot concrete. It was taken to the North Richland Hills Animal Services Center before later being transferred to Nature’s Edge Wildlife and Reptile Rescue.

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