The groundhog is known by many names, including woodchuck and whistlepig. The subject of folklore and tongue-twisters, this animal is not actually a hog, but a rodent. More specifically, the groundhog belongs to the marmot family. Several cities in North America hold festivals for Groundhog Day on February 2nd, when superstition holds that if a groundhog sees its shadow, winter will continue for six more weeks.
History:
Groundhog Day celebrations are held in many U.S. cities, including Punxatawney, PA, Sun Prairie, WI, and Staten Island in New York City, as well as Wiarton in Ontario, Canada. Each city has its own representative groundhog, who is believed to predict either a long winter or an early spring, depending on whether or not it sees its own shadow. Arguably the most famous of these is Punxatawney Phil.
In the wild, groundhogs are excellent climbers, swimmers, and diggers. They hollow out long, deep burrows where they sleep and raise their young. Like bears, groundhogs hibernate, usually from October until March or April. They prepare by building up enough fat to last the winter, and then emerge from their slumber in the spring when food becomes more abundant.