When a couple in Arichat, N.S., discovered a shivering, pink mammal in their backyard, they brought the curious creature to a veterinary clinic in Cape Breton. The mystery animal was soon identified as a female raccoon. Weighing only 3 kg (6.6 lb) and presenting as completely furless, she was transferred to Hope for Wildlife—a rehabilitation centre in Seaforth.

Hope for Wildlife named the raccoon Rufus, inspired by the naked mole rat in the children’s show Kim Possible, to whom she bore a striking resemblance. Skin tests conducted at the centre attributed the likely cause of Rufus’s baldness to a genetic condition, as opposed to other causes such as parasites or a bacterial/fungal infection. Further bloodwork and tests have been ordered to make a complete diagnosis.

Shelter staff were surprised Rufus was able to survive the winter without her fur. Dr. Mikaela Jahncke, a veterinarian at the shelter, told Global News, “She’s bright. She was a bit quiet initially, but she has found her spunk. She’s acting like a wild raccoon, growling and a bit feisty, which is good. Those are things that we want to see.”

Shelter director Hope Swinimer adds, “The best-case scenario is a healthy diet and an easy month or two might be good enough for her hair to grow back in.”

If Rufus’s fur doesn’t grow back, Hope for Wildlife will request authorization from the Department of Natural Resources to provide her with a permanent home in the shelter. Rufus would then be able to stay on as an educational animal.