In the wake of discovering an unusual creature dwelling in a
maze of tunnels beneath its baseball field, the first photos of an
elusive
”
albino gopher
”
at Anchorpoint Christian High School have finally surfaced.
In the wake of discovering an unusual creature dwelling in a maze of tunnels beneath its baseball field, the first photos of an elusive “albino gopher” at Anchorpoint Christian High School have finally surfaced.
“We’re having so much fun,” said Danny Kinoshita, pastor of the campus at 2220 Pacheco Pass Highway. “The kids are getting into it.”
Numerous attempts have been made to corral the pink-nosed rodent, but so far the animal has evaded the cage/trap device while managing to score a bit of the bait. Flowers and vegetables have been used to lure the celebrity creature out of its earthen lair, but to no avail – yet.
The gopher, groundhog, mole or ferret – no one really knows for sure – was first spotted by at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 29 by Ken Bradley, a physical education teacher of 10 years.
“I could see its head come up, and I was aware it was a very unique critter,” he said, gazing at the burrow. “I’ve never seen a gopher that color.”
Bradley suspects the animal may have been disturbed by facility workers, who were working nearby on a sprinkler leak in the baseball field.
Kinoshita has placed calls to the San Diego Zoo, the San Francisco Zoo and the Minnesota Zoo, but “if no one claims it, I’m going to keep it as a pet,” he smiled.
There’s a possibility the varmint could be an albino rat, Kinoshita considered, but “rats don’t act like that,” said Bradley. “I know a rat versus a gopher.”
The school assures it has no plans no to exterminate the animal. The cage is built to trap; not harm.