Animal native to South American rainforests waits outside Florida man’s front door then barges in and repeatedly charges him
'I think the fight was a tie,' says victim's partner. 'I'd put my money on the animal next time'
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Your support makes all the difference.An animal native to South America’s rainforests has attacked a man after invading his second-floor Florida apartment.
The kinkajou – often known as a honey bear - ran into the home, in Lake Worth Beach, through an open door and launched itself at Michael Litersky’s legs, inflicting bites and scratches.
Only when the 37-year-old was able to lock the creature - a seven pound monkey-like animal - in the bathroom did the struggle cease.
"It sounded like a 300-pound man was tackling him in the kitchen,” said Natalie Dulach, who shares the apartment with Mr Litersky’s partner Gillian Hicks. “I thought somebody was breaking into my house [to start with]. It scared me, to be honest.
“When he opened the door, it like charged at him, at his leg and like clung to his leg and then he was trying to get it off of his leg. And it kept coming back in.”
The incident occurred the morning after Mr Litersky had left watermelon out in the evening upon seeing the unusual looking creature in the neighbourhood.
As he opened the front door, the mammal – generally a tree-top dweller – was waiting on the doorstep. It ran inside and began its assault.
"I guess it was so hungry for more watermelon, it was waiting and as soon as he opened the door, it just bum-rushed him," Ms Hicks told WPTV news. "I think [the fight] was a tie. I'd put my money on the kinkajou next time.”
Wildlife officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission attended the incident at 5.45am on 25 July, according to a report by the FWC itself.
They took the creature to an unnamed wildlife facility and suggested it was probably an abandoned pet.
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