It’s finally time to talk about Groundhogs!

Now we all know that most of the time, these sweet animals get a bad wrap for munching on people’s gardens and crops. But they are actually very beneficial creatures! This is Bear our groundhog who has decided to make his burrow under our shed! Although he is currently in hibernation, I look forward to seeing him again soon. Groundhogs are known as “true hibernators” meaning when they go into hibernation, their body temperature drops below 68 degrees Fahrenheit and their heart rate slows to 5 beats per minute until they emerge in early spring.

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These mostly solitary animals are known for their extraordinary digging capabilities. Their underground burrows can reach upwards of 65 feet long with many chambers and exits. Their  nesting chamber is filled with dead leaves and grass for comfort. They even have special rooms in their burrows designated specifically as bathrooms. 

 

This digging beneath the surface of subsoil helps provide soil aeration, helping our plants to grow and thrive. Groundhogs are able to dig so well due to their powerful front legs adorned with strong claws. Their exquisite incisors chomp roots and remove loose rocks as they dig and they use their mouth to carry this to the surface. 

 

Another wonderful benefit of groundhogs is that when a groundhog is hibernating or when they have abandoned their burrow, it becomes home to other creatures as well such as rabbits, opossums, skunks, raccoons and more! 

 

Now for some fun facts about groundhogs

 

1. They are a type of rodent known as a marmot and they are the most widely distributed marmot across the US and up into Canada

2. Because they are a marmot this actually means they are closely related to ground squirrels

3. They are often called woodchucks, but this has nothing to do with them chucking or eating wood! According to LiveScience, “The word woodchuck comes from a Native American word, wuchak, which roughly translates as "digger."