In a peculiar turn of events approximately one year ago, a 12-year-old girl named Serenity Myers stumbled upon an unexpected guest in an arcade claw machine at a Duncansville, Pennsylvania custard shop. The furry intruder was none other than a groundhog, also known as a woodchuck, nestled comfortably among the plush toys.
Serenity, familiar with these rotund rodents due to previous encounters near her home, quickly alerted her grandparents and shop staff. Initially met with disbelief, her discovery was soon confirmed, leading to an unusual rescue operation.
Pennsylvania State Game Warden Salvadore Zaffuto responded to the call, initially expecting a typical case of an animal trapped in a vending machine. However, upon arrival, he was greeted by the sight of a juvenile groundhog swimming through a sea of stuffed animals.
"I could see fur here and there, and it just would pop its head up."
The resourceful rodent had managed to climb up the one-way prize dispenser, an atypical behavior for a species known for its burrowing habits. Groundhogs, despite their chubby appearance, are surprisingly agile and can climb trees and swim. Their excellent digging skills allow them to create complex underground burrow systems, making this upward adventure all the more intriguing.
Zaffuto, equipped with bite-proof gloves, carefully extracted the groundhog from its plush paradise. The animal appeared unharmed and was likely only trapped for a few hours. Following the rescue, the groundhog was released in a suitable rural area, far enough to discourage a return visit to the arcade.
In response to this unusual incident, the Meadows Frozen Custard shop embraced the excitement by adopting a groundhog as their new mascot. They cleverly named it "Colonel Custard," a pun combining dessert and Civil War history. The shop now offers groundhog plushies and "Respect the Groundhog" T-shirts, capitalizing on the unexpected visitor's popularity.
This incident adds another chapter to Pennsylvania's rich groundhog lore, joining the ranks of famous rodents like Punxsutawney Phil, known for his weather predictions, and Gus the Groundhog, the state lottery mascot. Groundhogs, also called whistle-pigs due to their high-pitched alarm calls, have a significant cultural presence in the state, with Groundhog Day on February 2nd originating from German settlers in Pennsylvania.
While groundhogs are typically solitary creatures, this arcade adventurer has certainly brought a community together, creating a unique blend of wildlife encounter and local charm. As herbivores capable of consuming up to one-third of their body weight in vegetation daily, one can only wonder if the claw machine's plush inhabitants looked like an inviting salad to this enterprising woodchuck.