Pravi podvig rakuna je na Twitterju in drugih družbenih omrežjih dobil ključnik #MPRRaccon, saj se MPR (Minnesota Public Radio) imenuje radijska postaja nasproti stavbe UBS Tower, ene najvišjih zgradb v mestu, katere vrh je z drznim plezanjem osvojil rakun. Potem ko so ga opazili, da pleza po stavbi, so mnogi zaposleni na postaji namreč stopili k oknom in začeli objavljati fotografije njegovega napredka, tamkajšnji krajevni mediji pa so rakunov vzpon celo neposredno prenašali v program.

Rakunovo napeto plezanje je trajalo skoraj ves dan - 20 ur, natančneje, in se končalo šele okoli treh zjutraj, ko si je končno lahko oddahnil na strehi stavbe, kjer pa ga je čakal "maček v žaklju" – mačja hrana v pasti, v katero se je navsezadnje tudi ujel, poročajo ameriški mediji. Najbolj zagnano sta rakunov vzpon spremljala novinarja MPR-ja Evan Frost in Tim Nelson. Frost je dejal, da so rakuna že v ponedeljek opazili na okenski polici v pritličju. Ker je bil naslednji dan še vedno tam, sta mu dva zaposlena nastavila palico, da bi mu pomagala po njej splezati dol, a učinek je bil prav nasproten – žival se je očitno prestrašila in se podala v višave.

Rakun je tako ves torek plezal malo gor in malo dol po pročelju, vmes pa si na okenskih policah privoščil malo počitka. "Zelo smo bili zaskrbljeni zanj, saj si nismo mogli predstavljati, da bi se njegova dogodivščina lahko končala srečno," je dodal Nelson.

"Smetarske pande"
Rakuni so sicer v ZDA zelo pogosti, tudi v mestih, a običajno na skrivaj brskajo po smetnjakih ali se skrivajo v parkih, še nikoli pa niso videli nobenega, ki bi kot Spiderman skušal splezati na stavbo. Ker hrano pogosto iščejo v smeteh, se jih je prijel vzdevek "smetarske pande", dodaja BBC.

"Strokovnjak za rakune je dejal, da v Minnesoti na vsak kvadratni kilometer živi ducat ali dva rakunov. A običajno se skrivajo pred ljudmi," je dejal Nelson in dodal, da ni mogel verjeti, kako velik odziv so doživele njegove objave. Ljudje so napredek pri plezanju rakuna množično delili in všečkali, nekaj radovednežev pa si je neustrašnega rakuna ogledalo kar na kraju samem.

Can you see him? He's waaaaaay up there pic.twitter.com/ZnRZGr2qH4

— Tad Vezner (@SPnoir) 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

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

Would you be this relaxed after climbing 21 stories up the outside of an office tower? #mprraccoon Thanks @donnelly_law for the hospitality! pic.twitter.com/SsFBZc0C0z

— 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

Well between me and the woman in the office, hopefully one of us is catching the good side of #MPRraccoon tonight pic.twitter.com/PzhLpS7twu

— Andrew Krueger (@akpix) June 13, 2018

Here's the crowd standing on Cedar Street in downtown St. Paul watching the #mprraccoon. pic.twitter.com/HIJrp7p6JC

— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 13, 2018

I can hardly stand this anymore. 17th floor. #mprraccoon pic.twitter.com/CkhMlVyEqY

— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 13, 2018

Your 2AM CDT update: #mprraccoon still hanging out on the 17th floor. Up and much more active, but not showing any more sign of climbing down. Photo thanks to @akpix pic.twitter.com/iJNY1eAKfV

— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 13, 2018

Good crowd on @mpr’s grassy knoll keeping an eye out for the #MPRaccoon pic.twitter.com/LdgWWP5xYL

— Evan Frost (@efrostee) June 13, 2018

The #mprraccoon just made it to the roof! Video courtesy @DPet_KARE11News pic.twitter.com/Wb5xPsANZh

— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 13, 2018