Shock! Pennsylvania game machine 'displays' living 'prize' along with stuffed animals for kids
Officials from Pennsylvania Game Commission arrived to deal with a furry 'reward'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Employees at a miniature course in Duncansville, Pennsylvania, were met with an unusual sight after they noticed that a "prize" was moving inside a claw machine at the Meadows Family Fun Mini Golf venue.
Animal officials were called to the scene when the mini golf course workers found not a "stuffed" animal, but a living one.
Officials at the Pennsylvania Game Commission shared the discovery on Instagram, posting photos of a woodland creature.
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The officials shared images of a groundhog hiding in between the stuffed prizes inside the machine.
State Game Warden (SGW) Salvadore Zaffuto was sent to investigate and help remove the stuck groundhog, according to the post.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A groundhog was found crawling inside a claw machine at a miniature golf course in Duncansville, Pennsylvania (actual groundhog not pictured). Seen in this image is Punxsutawney Phil, the weather prognosticating groundhog, during the 136th celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 2, 2022. Groundhogs are a common game animal in Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger, File)
A groundhog can weigh as much as 11 pounds, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services.
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Groundhogs live near rocky outcrops from valley bottoms to alpine tundra, but they avoid dense forest.
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The lowland animals are surprisingly quick — and are good tree climbers.
Pennsylvania Game Commission officials posted an odd animal rescue story on Instagram after a groundhog was discovered crawling around stuffed animal prizes that were locked inside a claw machine. (Pennsylvania Game Commission)
"Upon approach of the machine (to investigate, not play), SGW Zaffuto saw the stuffed animals move and the groundhog [then] popped its head out amongst [the] prizes," said the post.
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Officials called the vending machine company to unlock the machine and safely remove the woodchuck back into its habitat unharmed.
Officials joked that "next time," they hoped "the groundhog [would] just play the game with tokens, and not try to cheat to win the prize."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The groundhog, found in a claw machine at a Pennsylvania miniature golf course, was rescued safely and released back into the wild. (Pennsylvania Game Commission)
Fox News Digital reached out to the Pennsylvania Game Commission for additional comment.
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