Good news: The raccoon that scaled a building was released back into the wild
Few things bring the internet together like lost animals.
A raccoon captured all of our hearts on Tuesday when it started scaling a high rise office building in downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota. According to MPR News, the little guy got stranded on a building ledge on Monday, jumped to the roof of a two story office, and then started climbing up the walls of UBS tower.
After a harrowing two days, the MPR raccoon was safely captured, fed, and released in the suburbs on Wednesday.
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MPR News reporter Tim Nelson said the trash panda was likely on a mission to raid a pigeon's nest over the skyway when it got stranded, and that it's been at least two days since it's had food or water.
The animal became an overnight star and soon had all of Twitter rooting for it. #mprraccoon is a trending hashtag in the United States.
Just look at the little guy!
My picture from the 13th floor around noon. Hope he makes it down OK! #mprraccoon pic.twitter.com/gfVWysn9iO
— Ben (@Johnson88Ben) June 12, 2018
Onlookers called Minnesota's state wildlife rehab center and St. Paul's animal control to beg them to help. According to the local fire department chief, it's probably too risky to send a human being out to save the raccoon, but a team set up live traps on the roof of the tower.
At this point, the little guy just has to make it to the top to get to safety.
@StPaulFireDept District Chief Alan Gabrielle is taking a look, but says it's likely too risky to put anyone over the side of the building for the #mprraccoon pic.twitter.com/ZyS0IEd2sd
— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 12, 2018
People inside the office building have been tweeting photos of the MPR raccoon as it rests during its journey.
He is on the ledge on our floor. He seems to be doing well. We’ve been told that the building has live traps on the roof and are trying to get him to go up there. We all just have to keep our fingers crossed.. #mprraccoon pic.twitter.com/HY1PkuFKz0
— Paige Donnelly law (@donnelly_law) June 12, 2018
Oh nothing just a raccoon hanging out on the 22nd floor of UBS Plaza downtown. pic.twitter.com/XaXE9XExxD
— Tad Vezner (@SPnoir) June 12, 2018
While the internet collectively stressed about the safety of the trash panda as it struggles up the building.
Mood: I am stressed about a lot of unknowns, and I am crying about a raccoon trapped on the ledge of a building in Minneapolis.
WILL IT BE OKAY?! #mprraccoon— Edith BiAF 💖💜💙🏳️🌈 (@LaytonEWilliams) June 12, 2018
Saga of the #mprraccoon trending in the Twin Cities. TV news crew is outside filming every minute. "Hang in there buddy" on everyone's lips #mprlife pic.twitter.com/BDjGOdqdXi
— Michael Popham (@mpopham) June 12, 2018
Even James Gunn, who directed Guardians of the Galaxy and featured a snarky raccoon in the series, is invested in this urban climber's journey.
I'll donate a thousand bucks to the non political charity of choice to anyone who saves this raccoon. I can't handle this. Poor dude. https://t.co/2F5reAKkKa
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) June 12, 2018
Animal control experts placed "aromatic food" out on the roof, hoping the raccoon will follow the smell and be safely trapped. "Not much else to do but wait and hope," Nelson tweeted. "Fire officials say they can't in good conscience risk a life."
For those of you worried about #mprraccoon: Animal control folks have put live trap on tower roof with aromatic food, hope raccoon smells it and can make its way to the roof, be captured and safely brought down to the ground. Not much else to do but wait and hope.
— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 12, 2018
According to Tim Nelson, who's been doing humanity a favor and live updating everyone on the raccoon, the little guy is chilling on a ledge on the 23rd floor. The UBS tower has 25 floors, so the raccoon is almost at the roof.
You got this, MPR raccoon!
UPDATE: June 13, 2018, 4:25 p.m. AEST MPR racoon is still not on the ground, currently on the 17th floor. We'll keep you posted.
Here's your 1A CDT update: #mprraccoon is still on 17th floor. Seems to have stopped moving since TV lights lit up face of UBS tower building. Will update again in 1 hr.
— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 13, 2018
UPDATE: June 13, 2018, 5:42 p.m. AEST Guys, the MPR raccoon has successfully made it to the roof. He made it!
UPDATE: June 13, 2018, 8:47 a.m. PDT After making its way to the roof, the raccoon was successfully trapped, according to reporter Tad Vezner. The company plans to release the animal back into the wild "somewhere safe."
RACCOON UPDATE: it has been trapped, its eating, still on top of tower, will be released "somewhere safe" by private Brooklyn Park contractor Wildlife Management Services
— Tad Vezner (@SPnoir) June 13, 2018
On Wednesday, Wildlife Management Services, a private company, removed the raccoon from the roof the easy way: a freight elevator.
Here is the #mprraccoon being picked up by technicians from Wildlife Management Services just now. Taken away by truck to an "undisclosed location." pic.twitter.com/x0iMZhW7zd
— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 13, 2018
Here's the #mprraccoon taking the easy way down, in a UBS Plaza freight elevator. pic.twitter.com/Tj8hDlXWMB
— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 13, 2018
The raccoon made it. Yay! #MPRraccoon
— Dirk Technic (@Stesbot) June 13, 2018
I don’t even like raccoons but this lil mf had me worried #mprraccoon pic.twitter.com/vLoKEB5F5N
— 🌸LifeOfAlyxx🌸 (@LifeOfAlyxx) June 13, 2018
I want this raccoon on our flag, I want him on our currency, and I need him to run for Congress #mprraccoon
— Nico 🌊✊🏻✊🏽✊🏿🏳️🌈 (@NotthatQueenB) June 13, 2018
UPDATE: June 13, 2018, 11:47 a.m. PDT The raccoon is safe and has been released!
You can finally stop obsessively checking the #MPRraccoon hashtag — the raccoon is finally free.
Wildlife Management Services released the raccoon on private residential property in the suburbs of St. Paul, with the permission of the homeowner.
She made it! Pack up, everyone, we can finally go home.