Caught on camera: Chunk the Groundhog turns a gardener's backyard into his private buffet

When Jeff Permar returned home to Middletown, Delaware, after a trip to Orlando, he was annoyed to see his prized organic garden a little worse for wear. An entire patch of cantaloupe plants had been damaged.

In a bid to catch the culprit, Permar set up a motion-sensitive surveillance camera. What it captured surprised and charmed him, as there, brazenly munching on a cucumber, was a groundhog.

At the sight of the cheeky intruder, Jeff’s anger melted, and he decided to live and let live. From that moment on, he began sharing his homegrown fruit and vegetables with the intruder, whom he nicknamed Chunk.

Since he began visiting the garden, Chunk has become a star on Perma's social media. Chunk now has a family that is equally partial to a free buffet. Together, their antics have struck a chord with the online audience, with many people finding them therapeutic.

"It really hit me that these videos are actually making an impact on people that sends a positive vibe," says Permar. "I would get comments about people having a really bad day. People were sick, and in the hospital, people lost a loved one. People were just looking for encouragement. And that element of it really hit home to me. So I feel like I'm obligated to just spread good vibes every day."

Watch the video below to see Chunk the Groundhog’s cheeky chomping.

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