While gardeners spend most of their time surrounded by nature, many of them would prefer earth's creatures to keep their distance from their precious crops. But avid gardener Jeff Permar, from Middletown, Delaware, in America, struck up an unlikely friendship with the groundhog who kept stealing his fruit and vegetables.
Jeff set up a motion detection camera in his garden after waking up to damaged crops time and time again - but he was shocked to learn that a groundhog was causing all the trouble. A spokesman from Chunk The Groundhog told The Mirror: "Back in 2019, gardener Jeff had crop damage. He did not know what it was. So he set up a motion detection camera. He was shocked to find out that it was a groundhog that popped up into the camera.
"He was really upset at first. He tried everything to keep the groundhog out. But nothing he did worked.
"The groundhog would just pop up right in the camera and stare at you."
Sharing how the groundhog quickly won over his heart, Jeff decided to give it a name - Chunk.
He wanted to share Chunk's cheeky antics with others online and set up a YouTube channel to document the groundhog's day-to-day life in his garden.
His channel, @ChunkTheGroundhog, has more than 118,000 followers, who "can't get enough" of Chunk and his friends.
"Chunk was so happy with Gardner Jeff that he brought his girlfriend Nibbles. Now Chunk and Nibbles eat in the camera together," the spokesman added.
"Gardener Jeff loved them so much that he thought next year he would build them their own garden. After all ,this is their land too. We all coexist. I just put a garden on it."
Not only has Chunk become a well-known face online but he also has his own line of merchandise.
Commenting on one of Jeff's latest videos, one user said: "At this point Chunk has lived longer than most groundhogs in the wild with many thanks to you!"
Another user added: "This was one of the best videos ever! It had an all star cast. There were action sequences, culinary delights, subtle romance, and suspense! Gardner Jeff, you are awarded an Oscar! Bravo!"
A third user said: "I love seeing the animals in their natural (or mostly natural) habitat. Thanks for taking care of all of those cuties."
One more added: "It's wonderful how you chronicle their lives without being intrusive. Heartwarming to see how the relationships developed from that first insouciant glimpse of patriarch Chunk. Thank you!"
To watch Chunk for yourself, visit Jeff's YouTube channel.
Do you have a cute story to share? Email paige.freshwater@reachplc.com.
