GROUNDHOG
The groundhog, or woodchuck, Marmota monax, is a North American marmot, a ground-dwelling
member of the squirrel family, Sciuridae, order Rodentia. Groundhogs grow to 65 cm (26 in) long, plus a 15-cm (6-in) tail, and up to 6.5 kg (14 lb) in weight. The coat is coarse, grizzled brown above, and pale below. Groundhogs feed on plants and occasionally on snails and insects. They dig burrows with numerous exits and hibernate in winter. Mating occurs in the spring, and usually 4 to 5 young are born after a gestation period of 31-32 days.
The groundhog, or woodchuck, Marmota monax, is a North American rodent with a
plump body, short legs, and a bushy tail. Active in the daytime for most of the year, it hibernates in a burrow during winter.
GROUNDHOG DAY
According to popular legend, the groundhog, or woodchuck, emerges from hibernation on
Groundhog Day, February 2nd. If the day is sunny and he sees his shadow, he will return to his burrow to sleep through 6 more weeks of winter weather. A cloudy day, on the other hand,
signals an early spring. European folklore assigns this weather-predicting ability to the bear and the badger as well.
A similar tradition where snow and dark skies presage a quick end to winter, is observed in northern Europe on Candlemas Day, which also falls on February 2 and in some areas marks the beginning of spring planting.
