UK

Video shows raccoon completing handstand and walking on front paws in garden

A wildlife enthusiast captured the moment a raccoon did a handstand in their front garden.

A raccoon was captured doing a handstand and walking on its front paws in a wildlife enthusiast’s front garden (Camera Trap Sue)
A raccoon was captured doing a handstand and walking on its front paws in a wildlife enthusiast’s front garden (Camera Trap Sue)
By Sarah Ping, PA

Watch the moment a raccoon completes a handstand and walks away on its front paws after drinking water in a wildlife enthusiast’s front garden.

The animal lover, who wishes to be known as Camera Trap Sue, described feeling “surprised but happy” after seeing the raccoon complete the handstand on Monday night.

The video, which she posted to X, formerly Twitter, received 1.3 million views and more than 29,000 likes on the social media platform as of Tuesday.

Camera Trap Sue, from Colorado, USA, has placed a fresh bowl of water and cameras in her front garden every day for the last 16 years to capture the different wildlife that visit.

She told the PA news agency this is the second time she has witnessed the handstand phenomenon.

Join the Irish News Whatsapp channel

“In over 15 years of constant camera trapping, I have only got this behaviour twice on camera,” she said.

“This is year 16 of my personal, long-term project to document what visits and when.”

The video shows the raccoon, with its back to the water bowl provided by Camera Trap Sue, lean onto its front paws into a handstand before walking on its front legs out of camera view.

She said she was doubtful whether she would see another raccoon handstand.

She said: “I thought there could be a chance but I knew it didn’t happen very often (at least for me) so it could be a while, possibly years before I saw it again.

“I was surprised but happy when I saw Monday’s videos with this behaviour again.”

A wildlife enthusiast captured the moment a raccoon completed a handstand in her front garden (Camera Trap Sue)
A wildlife enthusiast captured the moment a raccoon completed a handstand in her front garden (Camera Trap Sue)

The wildlife enthusiast said she has seen bobcats, bears, grey foxes, skunks and raccoons in her front garden and described it her passion to document the animals’ visits.

“My job doesn’t involve wildlife or animals it’s just something I’m passionate about especially getting up-close, intimate videos of the local wildlife without bothering them at all,” she explained.

“They don’t care about the cameras so I can watch them without them being stressed out at all.”