Aha Nature Moments: Groundhog

Groundhog, Woodchuck, or Whistle Pig? Fernald Preserve is home to a celebrity — can you dig it? The famous groundhog, also known as the woodchuck or whistle pig (because of its alarm call), has long been venerated as a prognosticator of spring in the United States and even has its own holiday. Mythological weather-forecasting abilities aside, the groundhog is an interesting animal. It hibernates in an underground burrow over the winter, staying dormant for up to four months. During that time, it doesn’t eat or drink, and its heart rate slows from over 100 to four beats per minute.