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Groundhogs : A Rodent by Many Different Names Whether you call it a groundhog , woodchuck ( from wuchak , the animal ’ s Algonquin name ), whistlepig , or land-beaver , this lowland rodent is found throughout North America from Canada to Alaska , across the U . S ., and as far south as Georgia .
Groundhogs Groundhogs are actually the largest of a group of ground squirrels called marmots . Unlike their other ground squirrel cousins who have longer , bushier tails , the groundhog ’ s tail is short and stubby . Groundhogs are usually around 26 inches long and weigh about nine or 10 pounds . However , if there is plenty of food and natural predators like foxes , wolves , coyotes , cougars , eagles , and dogs are not a problem , they can grow to 30 inches long and weigh as much as 30 pounds . They ’ re at greatest risk when they ’ re very young and can be easily eaten by snakes entering their burrows .
Groundhogs Like Suburbia You may consider groundhogs a familiar sight ; they ’ re very common in rural and suburban areas because they prefer open land on the edge of wooded areas rather than dense forests . You often spot them on the side of the road and can only hope their moms told them about the dangers of traffic . Naturalists believe their numbers have most likely increased in the past one hundred years as many of North America ’ s dense forests have been cleared to make way for the construction of towns and highways . With short , powerful limbs and strong , curved claws that are well-adapted for digging , the groundhog typically makes his home in a burrow . And while it can swim and even climb a tree to flee a predator , a groundhog is most likely to seek safety underground when threatened . However , if there is no choice , they will fight to defend themselves or their young . Don ’ t forget — they ’ re rodents with sharp teeth and claws .
Why They ’ re Called Whistle-Pigs Male groundhogs tend to be antagonistic and territorial . They will fight with other males for dominance , including during breeding season when they fight for females . However , these rodents have learned the value of cooperation and will share feeding grounds , with one or two lookouts standing erect and motionless watching for predators while the others feed . If a lookout spots trouble , he ’ ll alert the others with a high-pitched whistle — that ’ s why some people call them whistle-pigs . You might have also heard a groundhog make a barking sound or squeal if it ’ s injured . Some produce a loud grating sound by grinding their teeth . For the most part , groundhogs are herbivores — plant eaters — who spend most of their time grazing on wild grasses , fruit , berries , and other vegetation , including garden and agricultural crops . For this reason , many farmers and home gardeners consider them to be pests . If you ’ ve ever gone out to your garden and found not just the vegetables but the entire plant missing , especially if there ’ s evidence of burrowing , a groundhog is probably the culprit . Occasionally groundhogs will eat grubs , snails , and insects . They ’ ve also been observed sitting up eating nuts like tree squirrels do . But because they hibernate through the winter , groundhogs don ’ t gather and save nuts .
Groundhogs Move Earth by the Ton To create a comfortable burrow for nightly sleeping , raising their young , and hibernating , groundhogs have been known to move over five thousand pounds of dirt . Burrows usually have from two to five entrances , providing a ready means of escape from predators . And with over 46 feet of tunnels buried up to five feet beneath the surface , a groundhog ’ s burrow is a masterpiece of engineering . The groundhog is one of the few animals that truly hibernates meaning that it goes into a dormant state where its body temperature and heart rate drop considerably — from late fall until early spring . Groundhogs often dig separate burrows for hibernation , locating them in more wooded areas and digging them deep below the frost line , where the temperature will remain above freezing throughout the winter .
What Wakes the Groundhog ? When groundhogs wake up , usually in early February , it ’ s not to predict the weather but to jumpstart their mating season . Males , in particular , will sniff out the burrows of hibernating females . Having located potential mates , they ’ ll go back to sleep until March — shadow or no shadow — when they ’ ll wake up just as the females come into season and are ready to mate . The male will then share the female ’ s den until the cubs are born about a month later . Then he will leave . Groundhog cubs leave home to establish their own dens when they ’ re weaned at about five or weeks of age .