‘Zombie’ raccoon in car dealership dumpster fuels dread in Texas. ‘That is terrifying’

An extremely rare raccoon recently spotted dumpster diving at a Texas car dealership is inspiring wonder, curiosity and also dread — but mostly dread.

The all-white critter was seen clawing around in the garbage near an unnamed dealership in College Station, photos shared Aug. 13 on Facebook by KBTX news anchor Rusty Surette show.

The shots are credited to Rodolfo Garza, who presumably had the fortune — or misfortune — of encountering the albino raccoon before snapping some evidence to share with the world.

“You have better odds of being struck by lightning than seeing an Albino raccoon,” Surette said.

To put a number on it, the chances of seeing an albino raccoon in nature and outside of captivity are about 1 in 750,000, McClatchy News reported.

But to people looking at the photos, the animal’s rarity took a backseat to its appearance, which left a powerful and not entirely pleasant impression for some.

In one image, the raccoon seems to take notice of the witness and turns to face them, meeting the lens with a dead-eyed stare.

“That is terrifying,” a commenter wrote, and they weren’t alone in the feeling.

“I hope to never run into anything like this,” said another.

While albino animals are well known for their pink or red eyes, this creature does not have them. Instead, its peepers seem to match its bone-colored coat, but with an off-putting hint of gray or pale blue, and a glossiness that suggests they might not see anything at all.

Somehow, the raccoonish air of mischief is missing, erased and replaced by menace.

Though pink eyes are most commonly associated with albino creatures, they’re not guaranteed, according to experts.

The pink color is caused by blood vessels in the eye being visible due to a lack of pigment. This is ultimately the biggest problem for albino animals, as their eyes cannot block incoming sunlight, rendering them more or less blind. However, the eyes can sometimes take on a gray or blue hue instead, usually because the animal still has some pigment in their eyes despite being albino, according to wildlife experts.

Would the College Station raccoon be embraced more warmly by the community if its eyes were vibrant pink instead of mortuary gray? Maybe, or maybe not.

“What kind of zombie trash panda is that!?!” a comment said.

“That looks like something from Pet Cemetery,” said another.

Some suggested it could actually be a chupacabra.

Others wished the animal well but couldn’t deny its grim appearance.

“Kinda scary looking, but hope he’s left alone to continue his way of life,” one person wrote.

Still, there were a handful who appreciated the raccoon’s unique look, even if it is quite extreme.

“I wouldn’t have known what he/she is! Looks so different. So cute, tho!” one commenter wrote.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be there Thursday to collect my new child,” wrote another.

College Station is a roughly 95-mile drive northwest from Houston.

This story was originally published August 14, 2024 at 4:28 PM with the headline "‘Zombie’ raccoon in car dealership dumpster fuels dread in Texas. ‘That is terrifying’."