Red Panda or Mutant Raccoon?

This amazing creature showed up in the Backyard recently, could it possibly be a North American Red Panda thought to be extinct for 5 millions years - or more likely just about the strangest Raccoon you are ever going to see. The Red Panda and the Raccoon are distant relatives. This huge fellow is unusual for his red color, heavy body, huge front and rear paws that are way out of proportion to its body (rear feet look like about a size 6) and that bobbed tail. This guy has been around awhile and is a magnificent creature to behold closeup. Raccoons active in the daytime are not that unusual especially back in the "jungle" where these live.