'Avocado Squirrel' Is The Upper West Side's 'Pizza Rat'

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — Upper West Sider Henry Zhang happened upon quite the sight while walking his dog Thursday afternoon.

Almond, a Chihuahua mix recently adopted from Animal Haven, tugged on her leash near a planter on West 73rd Street and Broadway when Zhang saw a squirrel engorging itself on a full avocado.

Yes, even rodents can't escape the avocado craze.

"The planter is next to a street vendor selling fruits and his van. I assume an avocado dropped from his van or stand, and the squirrel scavenged it," Zhang said.

The image of a squirrel eating its weight in avocado evokes the iconic video of "Pizza Rat" dragging a gargantuan slice down a staircase of a downtown subway station — and in many ways "Avocado Squirrel" is just the Upper West Side version of "Pizza Rat."

"Avocado Squirrel," a health nut, prefers the healthy fats found in an avocado to the unhealthy trans fats found in a greasy slice of pizza. The squirrels also follows the Upper West Side fashion trend of donning a full coat of furs.

It's been nearly two years since the "Pizza Rat" video went viral. Recently, a familiar looking rodent was seen dragging a massive slice down the tracks of the Lexington Avenue and East 59th Street subway station. If "Pizza Rat" has indeed moved to the Upper East Side, consider "Avocado Squirrel" another example of the classic neighborhood rivalry.

Check out Zhang's video here:

Photo courtesy Henry Zhang