What kind of animal is this -round body, short legs, short snout, ears close to triangular face,long tail?

Question

Animal is covered with fur, black/gray/brown,sighted in daylite at golfcourse and during night in town. Didn't hear any sounds, seemed tame, not afraid, body shaped similiar to anteater, but I don't think snout was long, Sighted in South Dakota. Tail dragged on ground, about 8-10 inches long, also covered with fur. I don't think it is a pet, per se, but an animal I have never seen before.

I found out that we have had an invasion of woodchucks/groundhogs the last couple of years, and that is what I saw. A pest on the farms, chews it's way into buildings, etc, but more afraid of me than the other way around - I beg to differ!

Answer 1

Lemurs and chinchillas don't live in South Dakota. If a lemur escaped from a zoo it would be in the newspapers. Opossums don't have fur on their tails. Raccoons have striped tails and a mask of dark fur around the eyes. Your state wildlife department might have some ideas, if the animal is native or if other people have reported seeing it.

Answer 2

Opossum? Chinchilla? Hard to tell without a picture.

Answer 3

I have to agree. I need to see a pic before I say what it is.

Answer 4

sounds like a badger, don't go near it at all they have been known to hurt people real badly.

Answer 5

sounds like a racoon. do a google and see if it matches your animal

Answer 6

sounds like a lemur maybe? but would have had to have escaped from zoo i don't think they're native...

Answer 7

sounds like a oppossum.

Answer 8

maybe a armadillo

Answer 9

could be a raccoon