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| Attribution: Anthony Quintano on WikiMedia Commons CC By-SA 4.0 Deed |
No one can deny this little fellow is adorable, especially when he declares spring is coming soon! Of course, we still love him when he sees his shadow and predicts 6 more weeks of winter, but he just seems so much sweeter when he doesn't see his shadow and promises an early spring.
In spite of the fact that groundhogs have a lifespan of 6 years, Punxsutawney Phil has been making his weather predictions since 1886. Yes, it is true (folklore)! As the story goes, Phil drinks "groundhog punch" aka his "elixir of life" at the picnic each year, therefore he has lived a lot longer than the average groundhog life expectancy.
The celebrated groundhog makes his appearance on Groundhog Day, February 2 each year, to give his prediction. He only speaks to the current president of the Groundhog Club. Then the president translates his "groundhogese" into English for the rest of us. Personally, I blame the club president for disturbing this old fellow and not Phil when he declares, "you will have 6 more weeks of winter!"
Facts About Groundhogs
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| Baby Groundhog Attribution: LadyCamera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
Groundhogs are members of the rodent family and are considered the largest squirrels in North America. They have short legs and long, curved claws which allow them to burrow. They prefer woodland areas, hedges, or open areas with plenty of ground coverage. They can be found in the eastern parts of North America and southern Canada.
Groundhogs live alone. Even a mother groundhog will send her babies on the way after a few months and reclaim her burrow for single occupancy.
Groundhogs, also known as Woodchucks, eat twigs, bark, plant stems and leaves (not the seeds or blooms) and can live up to 6 years.
An adult woodchuck will grow to approximately 2 feet and will weight somewhere between 5 - 11 lbs.
Groundhogs are one of the few animals that are true hibernators. They sleep all winter long, relying completely on their reserves of fat to stay alive. Their metabolism slows down to a fraction of normal levels to ensure their survival. Most hibernators wake up to find food or urinate, but groundhogs don't even do that.
When threatened, groundhogs will make a shrill sound which is why they also have the nickname of whistlepigs.
