Minnesota raccoon captivates internet with skyscraper climb

Onlookers and reporters gathered as woodland animal scaled UBS Tower

A raccoon stretches out on a windowsill high above downtown St Paulon Tuesday. Photograph: Evan Frost/Minnesota Public Radio via AP
A raccoon stretches out on a windowsill high above downtown St Paulon Tuesday. Photograph: Evan Frost/Minnesota Public Radio via AP

A raccoon stranded on the ledge of an office building in Minnesota which captivated onlookers and generated interest on social media has safely made it to the roof.

Onlookers and reporters tracking the woodland creature's progress as it climbed the UBS Tower in St Paul breathed a sigh of relief.

St Paul Animal Control had placed a trap and some cat food on the roof, hoping to bring the raccoon down safely.

Nearby Minnesota Public Radio branded the raccoon with the hashtag #mprraccoon.

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The woodland creature soon had its own Twitter account, with one tweet saying, “I made a big mistake.” There had been widespread anxiety over the raccoon’s safety.

The creature was first spotted on a ledge on Tuesday morning.