![]() The shadow-observing lore has no scientific basis. After losing up to half their weight while hibernating, groundhogs usually emerge from their winter burrows in February-hence the date of this holiday. This is the part of their behavior that has led to North American Groundhog Day tradition. Groundhogs are among the few species of true hibernators. ![]() Groundhogs typically live three to six years in the wild, but have been reported to live for up to fourteen years in captivity.ĥ. Groundhog families disperse in the fall, and the young reach sexual maturity by two years. Young groundhogs are called kits, pups, or sometimes chucklings. ![]() Groundhog mating season is in the early spring and, after only a month-long pregnancy, mother groundhogs typically give birth to a litter of two to six blind, hairless babies. (However, baby groundhogs sometimes do fall prey to raptors such as hawks, owls, and eagles.)Ĥ. Because of their relatively large adult size and burrowing-not to mention climbing and swimming abilities-groundhogs don’t have many predators aside from coyotes, foxes, domestic dogs, and, of course, humans. They are even reported to eat other small animals such as baby birds. But they also may eat things we consider pests, such as grubs, other insects, and snails. Primarily herbivores, groundhogs eat a variety of plants, including from people’s gardens. Groundhogs are important intermediaries in the food chain. These burrows are not only potentially helpful to soils for aeration and nutrient recycling, but they are often used by other burrowing animals such as foxes, opossums, raccoons, and skunks.ģ. Like these relatives, groundhogs are powerful diggers that make large, complex underground burrows. ![]() Capable of weighing up to 15 pounds, groundhogsĪre among the largest members of the squirrel family Sciuridae and within the taxonomic tribe of marmots or ground squirrels-a group that also includes chipmunks and prairie dogs. (The pig is similar to how we refer to woodchucks’ rodent-cousin the guinea pig.)Ģ. The name whistle-pig, which is most common in Appalachia, stems from groundhogs’ habit of making a high-pitched whistling sound, usually as a warning to other groundhogs when they feel threatened. Groundhogs are also known as woodchucks or “whistle-pigs.” The familiar name woodchuck actually has nothing to do with wood, and stems from the Native American names for them: wuchak, wejack, and possibly otchek, which is a name for fishers. Here are five takeaways from Whittier as we look forward to Groundhog Day:ġ. “If you happen to have conflicts with them in your yard, there are many resources to help, including these strategies from MassWildlife.” They are actually in the same family as chipmunks and prairie dogs.Īnd even though they may be eating your vegetable garden in the summer, “remember that groundhogs are important native wildlife wherever they exist, said Whittier, who is also director of the school’s master’s program in conservation medicine. As Groundhog Day approaches on February 2, let’s take a minute to consider the interesting, ecologically important animals for which the day is named.įor starters, groundhog is a misnomer, said Chris Whittier, V97, research assistant professor of conservation medicine at Cummings School. While many Americans would recognize famed Punxsutawney Phil as a groundhog, they may not know much else about the species.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |