2008 What We Learned About Groundhogs

We Learned that...

Groundhogs spend most of their time in their underground burrows.The burrows are about 30 feet long. Groundhogs are part of the squirrel family. They are sometimes called woodchucks. They are little furry animals. They hibernate in the winter. That means they sleep in winter. Groundhogs whistle when they are in danger. They sometimes have four or five babies in the summer. Groundhogs’ teeth keep growing all their lives. They live in open woodlands, open fields, meadows and pastures, and are often seen along highways. They usually change habitats according to the season. In spring and summer, they like open fields and big backyards, and areas near vegetable gardens. In fall and winter, they prefer wooded areas. Groundhogs rarely move more than one-half mile from their burrow.

Are Groundhogs Good Predictors of the Weather?

School	Groundhog Name	Good Predictor
Bishop Abraham Elementary	Mikey	No
ESL Abecon Schools	Jay Jay	No
Rooster Springs Elementary	Spike	No
Gowanda Elementary	Mr. Fred Brown	No
Harvard Kent	Cutie Pie	No
Adams Elementary	Shadow	No

Our groundhogs were not good predictors of seasonal changes this year.