After a two-month escapade, Meeko, a raccoon who had been skillfully dodging animal rescuers, was discovered safe and sound just a stone’s throw away from his farm enclosure.
Meeko was part of a trio of raccoons that made a daring escape from Sunderland Training and Education Farm just before Christmas. While the two females, Rocket and Pinch, were successfully recaptured late last month, Meeko remained elusive until now.
Farm personnel spotted Meeko on Saturday and embarked on a rescue mission, requiring them to delicately remove a small tree before coaxing him into a secure travel box, ensuring his safe return.
Iain Watson, from Hartlepool’s Racoon Rescue UK, received word that Meeko had been spotted, chased up a tree, near the farm.
Surprisingly, Meeko hadn’t strayed far; he had simply relocated from one side of the farmhouse to the other.
Mr. Watson revealed that Meeko’s paw prints were a dead giveaway, explaining, “It’s his territory. He knows where the food is, and he was raiding other animals’ enclosures. It’s quite remarkable that none of the cameras caught him. Perhaps he should consider a career with MI5 or MI6.”
Despite his mischievous antics, Meeko appeared to be in good health after his adventures. However, he did manage to keep rescuers on their toes, giving them quite the chase before finally scaling the tree.
“They cut down the tree and managed to coax him into one of the small travel boxes,” Mr. Watson recounted. “Everyone involved is incredibly relieved. He had been giving us the slip for nearly two months. These raccoons are certainly resilient creatures.”