Woman wakes up with a rare rainforest animal on her chest

The animal is thought to be a cross between a raccoon and monkey. Photo / South Dade Animal Hospital

A 100-year-old woman in Miami woke in the middle of the night to find a rare rainforest animal cuddled up on her chest.

The pensioner was terrified when the four-legged kinkajou - an animal usually found in the jungles of Central and South America - climbed into bed with her and fell asleep.

Stranded with the animal, the woman phoned her daughter, whose husband Carlos Aguaras picked up the phone.

She begged him to come over and catch the beast.

Aguaras said: "I was awaken by a phone call at 2am which is never good news, and it was from my terrified mother-in-law."

He explained he then shot around to her home - where she lives with a carer who was fast asleep - to try to capture the wild animal.

By the time he arrived, the kinkajou - which typically spend most of their time in trees - had made it into the home's attic.

He managed to lure it out with food before capturing it in a cage and taking it to the vet, who knew exactly where the animal had come from.

Dr Don J Harris at the South Dade Avian and Exotic Animal Medical Centre recognised the kinkajou as Banana - a local's prized pet.

It was taken to the South Dade Animal Hospital for care and was to be returned to its owner.

Kinkajous can turn their feet backwards, making it easy for them to run in both directions. Spending much of their time up tall trees, the creatures are commonly seen hanging from their tails when out in the wild.

According to National Geographic, they are sometimes called honey bears because they raid bees' nests by slurping honey from the hive.

There is yet to be any word on how the animal managed to escape.

However, the 100-year-old's family certainly hope this will be the last time.

"Put it in the hands of the experts," said Aguaras.

"It's not intended to be a pet in a home."

- Daily Mail