Travelers received quite the surprise Tuesday evening at the Philadelphia International Airport. Around 7:30 pm July 25th, 2023, a raccoon caused a stir as he emerged in baggage claim B/C!
People watched in shock as a tail emerged and it became evident it wasn’t a furry bag emerging but a live animal.
Sara Higgins and her family traveling to the cit of Brotherly Love from Australia and was expecting any other welcome than the one they received.
“We could see its tail and we’re like, ‘That is a live animal! What is it?’” recalled Higgins to told ABC News.
Higgins and her daughters have been enjoying their summer vacation in the Maryland area. Her husband, Darryl Pereira, arrived Tuesday night on a flight from Los Angeles. He too was also taken aback by the unexpected airport visitor.
“I was expecting a surprise from them when I arrived, but I didn’t expect that,” Pereira told ABC news of the raccoon.
Caught On Camera
The frenzy was all caught on camera. Indeed, the frightened raccoon was unable to go back down the chute. So it jumped onto the metal part of the luggage carousel, scurried around and jumped off.
Next, The raccoon then ran around the airport before hiding under a vending machine.
Luckily, no injuries were reported.
In a press statement, airport officials confirmed that raccoons do in fact visit the airport on occasion as it’s surrounded by the Heinz National Wildlife Refuge.
“The raccoon in the video most likely got lost in one of the baggage tunnels and was attempting to get out. The airport works with the USDA to set humane traps for raccoons,” PHL officials said in a statement.
Second Time Around
Notedly, this is not the first time a raccoon was caught on camera at the Philadelphia airport.
Last year is even funnier.
A raccoon pushed his way past a metal plate in the wall to grab a full size pack of Twizzlers.
Guess you never know who will pop up at the airport.