POCATELLO — Pocatello Parks and Recreation officials aren’t entirely sure how a woodchuck got into its storage warehouse by Ross Park earlier this summer.
But by the time the intruder was discovered, it had already caused hundreds of dollars in damages.
The woodchuck had entered the warehouse and set up shop during a weekend in June. Park officials discovered the damage caused by the marmot the following Monday.
By then, the critter had chewed up some foam hard-shell kayak seats, cords, cardboard boxes and numerous rubber seals around the garage doors.
Though it took a few days, park officials were able to get the woodchuck out of the building. However, it must have enjoyed wreaking havoc inside the warehouse because it lingered in the area.
“I saw him waiting around outside for the next couple weeks,” said Lance Clark, outdoors supervisor for Pocatello Parks and Recreation. “He probably wanted back in.”
The warehouse is used to store sporting and outdoor equipment used by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. Officials have not yet determined whether the woodchuck damaged the items used during the winter and spring months. These items include tents, backpacking gear and team sports equipment.
The kayaks with the damaged seats were retired, while the cords and the rubber garage door seals were replaced. Park employees also had to disinfect and sanitize numerous items because of the animal waste that was left behind.
However, park and recreation officials are baffled over how the woodchuck was able to access some of the equipment. For example, the damaged kayaks were hanging 10 feet off the ground, while a cardboard box that was chewed up was stored 15 feet above the ground.
“That will probably remain a mystery forever,” Clark said about the destructive woodchuck’s apparent climbing ability.
