A raccoon goes on a wild adventure while escaping capture by the Wildlife Management Services. Her day began by scoping out pigeon nests on the ledge of St. Paul’s UBS Tower, and turned into a day-long climb up a 25-story building that ended with a meal of cat food.
On Wednesday, June 13, in St. Paul, Minn., a raccoon was captured and released after climbing for a day to the 25th story of St. Paul’s UBS Tower. The female raccoon was climbing for hours, taking frequent naps before she reached the top of the building. People working in the building reported catching glimpses of the critter outside their windows.
It didn’t take long for the raccoon to become the latest news. She was rescued by officials with Wildlife Management Services, based in nearby Brooklyn Park. The raccoon was lured into a cage with cat food, trapped and released back to nature in the suburbs of the Twin Cities.
What you've all been waiting for… #MissionImpossible #MPRraccoon ? @kare11 @ElleryTV @DPet_KARE11News @timnelson_mpr pic.twitter.com/SZKNem45yf
— Alicia Lewis (@alicialewisKARE) June 13, 2018
Reports say that the raccoon probably found herself in this position while trying to get to pigeon nests on the building or while being holed up in an alley. When the raccoon realized she was surrounded by people, her natural instinct was to climb.
As The New York Times notes, raccoons are part of a deceptive and unpredictable family of nocturnal mammals whose panda-like looks lull humans into forgetting they can carry multiple diseases.
The Minnesota Public Radio reported that the raccoon took off after maintenance workers tried to rescue her from a ledge. Raccoons are skilled climbers, and use their nails to dig into surfaces that they can climb more than 50 feet vertically with ease. This raccoon was fearless, as she climbed much higher than average.
Over the course of her journey, the raccoon earned her own hashtag, giving her instant social media fame. As she climbed higher and higher, an audience of people with binoculars and cameras gathered around the building. Those who worked in St. Paul’s UBS tower posted videos and photos of the raccoon outside their office window using the hashtag #mprraccoon.
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
Interested in learning more? Check out some raccoon fun facts here.
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