In Fargo, North Dakota, a squirrel had hidden about 70 kilograms of black walnuts under the hood of a parked car.
The car's owner, 56-year-old Bill Fisher, discovered the surprise when he returned from a four-day work trip. It had probably gathered the nuts from a neighbor's tree and decided to stash them somewhere safe.
This isn't the first time the man has encountered such squirrel gifts, however. Since 2013, every two years when the nuts are ripe, red squirrels have chosen his Chevrolet Avalanche as their treasure trove.
This year, the squirrel filled the man's truck with 42 gallons of nuts.
In 2000, British scientists conducted a study on the eating habits of red squirrels and found that these animals often buried pine cones, peanuts, walnuts and hazelnuts, while hiding fruit, mushrooms and bones at higher elevations.
A 2017 University of California study found that squirrels separate food and hide it depending on type in different places, preparing for colder months when there will be less food.
Fischer says he's used to the biannual inconvenience. He knows that once the nuts start falling to the ground, it's a good time to look under the hood before starting the car.
The man believes that the squirrel chooses his car because of the ease of access. It climbs in through the back of the pickup, climbs up the frame rails, and then makes its way into the engine compartment. Plus, there's plenty of room under the hood for the squirrel's supplies.
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