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Project Noah Nature School
Marmota monax
The groundhog, also known as a woodchuck, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Other marmots, such as the yellow-bellied and hoary marmots, live in rocky and mountainous areas, but the woodchuck is a lowland creature. It is widely distributed in North America and common in the northeastern and central United States. Groundhogs are found as far north as Alaska, with their habitat extending southeast to Alabama. The groundhog is the largest sciurid in its geographical range, typically measuring 16 to 26 inches long including a 6 inch tail and weighing 4 to 9 lb. Groundhogs are well adapted for digging, with short but powerful limbs and curved, thick claws. Suited to their temperate habitat, groundhogs are covered with two coats of fur: a dense grey undercoat and a longer coat of banded guard hairs that gives the groundhog its distinctive "frosted" appearance. In the wild, groundhogs can live up to six years, with two or three being average. Common predators for groundhogs include wolves, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, bears, large hawks, and dogs. Young groundhogs are often at risk for predation by snakes, which easily enter the burrow. Mostly herbivorous, groundhogs primarily eat wild grasses and other vegetation, including berries and agricultural crops, when available. Groundhogs also eat grubs, grasshoppers, insects, snails and other small animals, but are not as omnivorous as many other Sciuridae. Like squirrels, they also have been observed sitting up eating nuts such as shagbark hickory, but unlike squirrels, do not bury them for future use. Groundhogs hydrate through eating leafy plants rather than drinking from a water source. Groundhogs are excellent burrowers, using burrows for sleeping, rearing young, and hibernating. Though groundhogs are the most solitary of the marmots, several individuals may occupy the same burrow. Groundhog burrows usually have two to five entrances, providing groundhogs their primary means of escape from predators. Burrows are particularly large, with up to 46 feet of tunnels buried up to 5 feet underground.
Semi rural
I've been watching this guy wandering in & out of our barn for the last couple of days & wondering if he has taken up residence under the wooden pallets we have stored in there! Sorry about the fuzzy photos - they were taken through the window as he runs off whenever I go outside!
Spotted on Jun 1, 2012
Submitted on Jun 1, 2012
9 Comments
Karen, I think they'll still be there. :-) Once they find a save haven, and food sources very close together they will generally stick within that area. Can't wait to see the photos you get from the trail camera! (btw, that little Bogie is cute as all heck)!
I've added a rather fuzzy pic of Lauren's baby who we have named "Bogie" (last photo). Groundhogs usually have litters of 3 or 4 in burrows so we think maybe her burrow was attacked & she was only able to rescue one of her young & relocate it to our barn. I have a trail cam on order so hopefully I will be able to post better shots next week - if they are still around when it gets here!
Thanks for the correction Ava - Lauren Bacall she is! :)
oooohh Ava! you are right! it's Becall to Bogey in "To Have and Have Not"
That's a perfect name for her!!!!! :-D
Karen -- That's Lauren Becall to Bogart in Key Largo (I think).
Great, you've just helped me come up with a name for her (I know it's sad but we do name many of our resident critters!)
She is now called Mae, as in Mae West - "you do know how to whistle don't you?" :)
She's so CUTE! If you want a really neat photo, give a whistle! She'll stand up on her back paws and look right at ya!
It appears he is a she & might have kits in the barn! She seems to be attracted to the feeders we have in our wildlife habitat so I have provided a critter crunch block for her immediately in front of the barn to give her a little extra help!