Happy Groundhog Day! Celebrate with 6 surprising facts about these rodents

Groundhogs Don’t Really Predict the Weather, But There Are Lots of Other Strange Things About These Rodents

By KR Callaway edited by Andrea Thompson

Since at least 1886, a groundhog now named Punxsutawney Phil has come out of his burrow every Groundhog Day to predict the end of winter. Other marmots (monax marmot) from all over the country joined him in this climatological riddle. Folklore, probably from the Celtic mid-season festivalsdictates that if Phil sees his shadow, winter will continue for six more weeks, while if he does not, spring will come early. (Many people across the country are probably hoping the shade won’t appear after the recent winter.)

Of course, Phil’s “predictions” are actually no better than chancebut thousands of people, drawn by the allure of an unusual event for an unusual creature, still gather to see it emerge every February 2.

To celebrate these strange creatures, here are six of the weirdest groundhog facts, one for each week of winter we have left.

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Fraudulent forecasts

When groundhogs emerge this time of year, they are actually more interested in find friends than making predictions. The first to emerge from the ground are usually males who take a few days to mark their territory and assess potential mates before returning to their burrows for another month of hibernation.

Imposing teeth

Marmot teeth never stops growingso it’s essential to chew things down to keep them from getting too long. Animals typically use their powerfully regenerative teeth to break up pieces of food, defend themselves, and gather materials they could use to build their nests.

Competent architects

From the surface, a groundhog’s burrow may look like a hole in the ground, but inside it can be elaborate. Terriers often have separate rooms which function as bathrooms and bedrooms, multiple entrances and tunnels winding through the earth which total up to 65 feet in length.

Accidental archaeologists

As groundhogs dig deep to create their burrows, they sometimes come across historical relics. In at least three casemarmots have helped locate new archaeological sites, including one of the oldest known human habitation sites in North America: the Meadowcroft Rockshelter in Pennsylvania.

Medical models

Archeology isn’t the only science groundhogs help us with: they also help medical researchers better understand the link between hepatitis B (HBV) and liver cancer. Since the groundhog equivalent of HBV is very similar to that of humans, researchers can use them as a replacement for people to better understand how HBV causes liver problems.

Many names

Groundhogs are remarkable creatures – the largest terrestrial rodent in the squirrel family (Sciuridae) – and they are found throughout much of North America. Their ubiquity means that many groups, including Native Americans, have had occasion to name them. Besides “groundhog,” some of the more common names include groundhog and pig-whistle, referring to the “chuck” and “whistle” sounds they make or their stocky build.