A WILD racoon-type animal which escaped from a mini Bolton "zoo" into a local park was still on the loose today.

The three-month-old coatimundi, which resembles a large rat, can bite if cornered and the public has been warned not to approach it.

The animal was one of two which escaped from pens at the council-run Animal World in Moss Bank Park yesterday.

One was later recaptured after a massive search involving the police, RSPCA and council employees.

And today Bolton Council launched an investigation into how the animals, which are carnivores, both managed to escape.

A spokesman said: "They are wild so are most likely to run off if people approach them, but if cornered can bite out.

"We would advise anyone who comes across them to leave them and report the sighting to staff as quickly as possible."

The missing animal is brown and quite small. They are similar to racoons.

One man who spotted one of them yesterday said: "It looked very much like a large rat. I thought it was a rat until I noticed its tail."

Coatis are described as "somewhat aggressive". They live in an area stretching from the south-western US through to South America.

Their darkly branded tails are held erect as they move around. They also have long, flexible snouts.

They are good climbers and when foraging, they comb the trees and the ground for fruit, seeds, eggs and various small animals.

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