Raccoon scales Minnesota office tower, leaving public in suspense
Onlookers watch anxiously as critter inches up 25-storey building
A raccoon that spent much of Tuesday climbing a skyscraper in St. Paul, Minn., has gathered a crowd of anxious followers from around the world.
Onlookers and reporters tracked the critter's progress as it scaled the 25-storey UBS Tower, reaching, by late afternoon, a ledge on the 23rd floor, where it appeared to take a break.
Local news outlets and office workers inside the building tracked its progress on social media throughout the day. Minnesota Public Radio has dubbed the animal #mprraccoon, while the local Fox affiliate briefly set up a live view of its perch on Periscope.
At the 23rd floor, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mprraccoon?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#mprraccoon</a> takes a break <a href="https://t.co/ZPAFH6ZbJq">https://t.co/ZPAFH6ZbJq</a> <a href="https://t.co/36F7jiBb6r">pic.twitter.com/36F7jiBb6r</a>
—@MPRnewsMany expressed concern for the raccoon's safety — wondering aloud about possible rescue scenarios. The building's windows don't open, according to MPR.
"Can't someone scale down and save him?" asked one person on Twitter.
"Put mattresses and bean bag chairs all around that side of the building," offered another.
My picture from the 13th floor around noon. Hope he makes it down OK! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mprraccoon?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#mprraccoon</a> <a href="https://t.co/gfVWysn9iO">pic.twitter.com/gfVWysn9iO</a>
—@Johnson88BenHe 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.. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mprraccoon?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#mprraccoon</a> <a href="https://t.co/HY1PkuFKz0">pic.twitter.com/HY1PkuFKz0</a>
—@donnelly_lawThe adventure started on Monday when, according to one local reporter the raccoon got stranded, "likely on an errant mission to raid pigeon nests."
It moved to the neighbouring UBS Tower, and started climbing up, not down.
The woodland creature also soon had its own Twitter account, with one tweet saying, "I made a big mistake."
With files from CBC News