Attention: Furry object in the claw machine is not a toy
A marmot was found stuck in a claw machine in Pennsylvania.
Some people would probably have had to look twice.
State officials in Pennsylvania recently responded to an unusual call after someone reported finding a surprise prize in a claw machine.
Employees at The Meadows Family Fun Mini Golf in Duncansville County were surprised when an “unusual” prize was hidden in one of their claw machines and discovered a groundhog inside, the Pennsylvania Game Commission said.
Photos provided to USA TODAY by the commission this week show the captured animal hiding among stuffed animals inside the company’s machine in Blair County, about 90 miles east of Pittsburgh.
When director Salvadore Zaffuto arrived at the scene, he found that the furry animal had somehow gotten into the machine but was unable to escape, the state agency reported.
“As Director Zaffuto responded and approached the machine, he saw a wave of stuffed animals moving while the marmot scurried around underneath and then stuck its head out to assess the situation,” the agency wrote in a social media post.
Marmot rescue receives applause on the Internet
The machine manufacturer was contacted to open the machine so that the gamekeeper could “safely capture the marmot and release it unharmed,” the commission posted on Facebook.
The parade received praise on the Internet.
“I love these cuties,” one person wrote in the comments section under the commission’s post. “Thank you for your interest.”
Another replied: “Great work!”
“I would have gone broke trying to win this,” wrote one Facebook user.
“He just wanted a comfortable place to sleep,” someone else posted.
Another user wrote: “Mr. Gopher just had to be redirected back to the putting green! (Caddyshack).”
Some even suggested giving the animal a name.
“Name him Claude (or Clawd) after the claw machine he was in,” one user posted.
Another person suggested “Duncansville Dan,” while another user suggested “Meadow,” after the name of the store he snuck into.
Until Wednesday, the marmot’s whereabouts were unclear.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X at @nataliealund.
