SAN ANTONIO — A woman needed to be saved after a wild animal she thought she was rescuing became agitated inside her car.
The woman said she used a towel to pick up what she thought was an injured lemur on the side of the road and then put it inside of her car.
She quickly realized it was not the best solution when the scared animal began to wreak havoc inside her car. She got out of her vehicle and called 3-1-1 for help.
Officer Centeno arrived a short time later and was able to identify the animal as a ringtail, not a lemur.
The Ringtail is a cat-sized carnivore resembling a small fox with a long raccoonlike tail. Its bushy tail is flattened and nearly as long as the head and body, with alternating black and white rings. They are usually nocturnal and spend most of their time sleeping in their dens. Ringtails are native to San Antonio.
They are actually in the same family as raccoons and because they are so elusive, seeing one is a rare treat!
Officer Centeno carefully removed the ringtail from the woman's car and into his transport vehicle. He took the little critter to the Animal Emergency Room to be treated for their injuries before being transferred into the care of Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, Inc. the next day.
It's important to remember that when you encounter a wild animal, especially one that is injured, you can make a report by dialing 3-1-1 or by visiting saacs.info/311. Don't try to rescue it yourself.
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