It’s not every day you look out your window and see a wild raccoon. But for one office building in downtown St. Paul, Minn., the wily rascal grabbed the spotlight by embarking on an unlikely adventure — an climb up a towering 25-story building. The daring feat captivated onlookers both on social media and on the streets below.

Described initially as looking defeated, the raccoon proved himself to be a deft climber, and kept fear at bay, as it clung to the side of the building, desperate to find a way out of his predicament. “We couldn’t imagine how this would end well for him,” remarked Tim Nelson, a reporter at Minnesota Public Radio News, reflecting on dangerous situation the raccoon found himself in.

A raccoon got himself into a predicament after climbing up a building in St. Paul, Minn. Photo via Associated Press

With each upward move, the raccoon’s agility and determination proved just enough to get him slowly making his way to the roof.  Crowds gathered below, their eyes glued to the spectacle unfolding above, while social media buzzed with updates under the hashtag #MPRraccoon.

“She just seemed sweet and cute and very mellow,” Sheila Donnelly-Coyne said, while watching the raccoon’s adventure unfold while she was outside the building. Despite the risks and challenges, including concerns for its safety, the raccoon pressed on, capturing the hearts of more than just the people on the ground.

James Gunn, director of Guardians of the Galaxy, even pledged a donation to charity in a bid to save the animal. As the raccoon slowly climbed to the top, the watchers waited, hoping that the little animal would make his way to safety.

It’s kind of absurd that I took a couple of pictures of an animal that people usually hate and think is disgusting, and all of a sudden it has thousands of retweets and likes,” Nelson said.

It made it’s way to the 18th floor and then 19th and kept going and going. Around 2:45 a.m., according to Mr. Nelson, it scaled the top and hopped onto the roof. It also found the cat food inside the trap. Wildlife Management Services, the company that set the traps, retrieved the raccoon on Wednesday morning, said Laurie Brickley, a spokeswoman for the city’s Department of Safety and Inspections.

The rescued raccoon gets released after his crazy ordeal climbing a building. Photo via Associated Press

The raccoon was a female about 2 years old, Brickley said. “She was a little skinny but in good shape,” she added. By the time the team reached the animal, it was “incredibly tired,” had eaten all that was in the live trap and had drunk a lot of water, Brickley said. The raccoon was later released on private residential property in the suburbs of the Twin Cities with permission from the owner, and after consultation with the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota.