Racoon that became international celebrity after scaling skyscraper finally trapped
A racoon which became an international celebrity after scaling a 25-storey office tower has been safely trapped and released back into the wild.
Footage of the creature's escapade went viral as it scaled the UBS Plaza in St Paul, Minnesota.
Many Twitter users voiced concern for its safety or joked about the drama as its death-defying climb was livestreamed by several broadcasters.
It looked bedraggled but healthy after it was caught before dawn.
Technicians took the caged racoon down a freight elevator to a truck, according to Wildlife Management Services, which provides animal control services for the city.
“It’s definitely a healthy racoon. It’s in good condition. It’s eating normally,” said Christina Valdivia, the company’s general manager who accompanied the technicians to the rooftop.
The racoon spent much of the day going up and down the tower’s exterior.
It was initially thought that it climbed to a lower part of the building, which is frequented by pigeons, in search of bird eggs.
But after workers tried to lure it down with a wooden ramp, they may have scared it into making the climb.
Evenutally, it made it to the roof, where traps baited with cat food were waiting.
The animal was later released on private property near the Twin Cities suburb of Shakopee.
Minnesota Public Radio, which broke the story and closely followed the racoon’s climb from its headquarters less than a block away, branded the animal #mprraccoon.
This poor raccoon apparently got itself stranded on a ledge of the Town Square office building in downtown St. Paul, likely on an errant mission to raid pigeon nests on the skyway over 7th Street. It’s been there for two days now, without food or water. @mprnews pic.twitter.com/fVI5pmdCWq
— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 12, 2018
The #mprraccoon has arisen from his nap and is climbing again. pic.twitter.com/K1popKu2bF
— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 12, 2018
The #mprraccoon is doing a little grooming now that he’s a social media star. You know, on a 23rd floor window ledge. @MPRnews pic.twitter.com/pGcwh7OJ6L
— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 12, 2018
Can confirm #MPRraccoon is still itchy. Got a little visit from @StPaulFireDept too! Cat food awaits it on the roof. pic.twitter.com/WeOTWmbaqz
— Evan Frost (@efrostee) June 12, 2018
“This poor raccoon apparently got itself stranded on a ledge of the Town Square office building in downtown St Paul, likely on an errant mission to raid pigeon nests on the skyway over 7th Street. It’s been there for two days now, without food or water,” Minnesota Public Radio reporter Tim Nelson wrote on Twitter.
The racoon’s odyssey was watched with trepidation and excitement on social media.
There’s something tragic and inspiring about a poor, starved, and dehydrated raccoon refusing to give up and scaling a high rise building just to survive. Life is precious and worth fighting for. #mprraccoon pic.twitter.com/pEeDnKsaSg
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) June 12, 2018
The #mprraccoon is the perfect 2018 metaphor. pic.twitter.com/rsgKwyPlHg
— Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) June 12, 2018
“There’s something tragic and inspiring about a poor, starved, and dehydrated raccoon refusing to give up and scaling a high rise building just to survive. Life is precious and worth fighting for,” one Twitter user wrote.
Another said: “The [racoon] is the perfect 2018 metaphor.”
Hang in there, #mprraccoon . I’m rooting for you! <3 pic.twitter.com/VH6tWBQl63
— Megan Tegeder (@mtegeder) June 12, 2018
Time cover this year #mprraccoon pic.twitter.com/AyVvMfytLt
— Will Dollinger (@willdollinger) June 13, 2018
Others shared drawings and a mock Time cover featuring the racoon as Person of the Year.