A hiker returning to his vehicle after a trek near Tucson, Arizona saw a coatimundi (also called a coati) sitting on his hood. The man tried the scare the animal away so he could enter his vehicle, but that backfired badly. The coatimundi ripped a windshield wiper off and then attacked the hiker as he attempted to get in the car. The hiker ended up with a bite and a scratch. Wildlife officials are now searching for the aggressive animal, and the hiker received the rabies vaccine just in case.
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Coatis are related to raccoons. The white-nosed coati lives throughout the Americas, primarily in Central America but also in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. These animals are very cute, but they’re not cuddly. Never underestimate a wild animal.
Watch a local news report about the coatimundi attack on a hiker here: