Marmot hitches ride from Wyoming to Nebraska in van engine

Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Animal control officers in Nebraska rescued a marmot that hitched a ride from Wyoming in the engine compartment of a van.

Lincoln Animal Control said in a Facebook post that officers responded alongside the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the Nebraska Wildlife Rehab when the driver discovered the hitchhiking marmot.

"The marmot was not easily reachable and due to marmots not being native to Nebraska, it was crucial that it did not escape," the post said.

A veterinarian at the scene was able to sedate the marmot so it could be safely extracted from beneath the engine compartment.

Animal control said the animal will be cared for by Nebraska Wildlife Reban until transportation can be arranged to return the marmot to Wyoming.