AUSTIN, Texas — Texas firefighters were able to free a squirrel that had managed to get its head stuck inside the knothole of a tree.
The Austin Fire Department was called around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday about the intrepid rodent who had somehow gotten stuck head first in the tree.
“Now, we’ve gotten lots of animals out of trees before, but this may be the first time we’ve literally gotten an animal OUT of a tree,” the agency said on social media. “Whether squirrels have a ‘reverse’ gear remains a mystery, but said squirrel had found himself with his front half stuck inside the interior of the tree while his back half remained unprotected”
The firefighters were able to free the squirrel from the knothole in about two minutes. The squirrel could have slowly died from starvation, the elements or by a predator, the fire department said. The squirrel immediately ran off after being freed.
“We assume none the worse for wear since he didn’t stick around to offer so much as a ‘thank you,’” the agency said.