 GROUNDHOG DAY
On February 2, groundhogs all over Ohio saw their shadows, and the winter weather returned almost immediately! Just be patient -- it's only 6 weeks until the first day of Spring.
Before Ohio was settled, forests covered the state and groundhogs were actually scarce. But as pioneers cleared the land for farming, groundhogs found a habitat more to their liking and began moving in. Today, groundhogs are found in every one of Ohio's 88 counties.
The groundhog, also referred to as a woodchuck or whistle-pig, is a rodent related to ground squirrels and prairie dogs. It's stout-bodied, weighing up to 14 pounds, with reddish-brown or brown fur and black feet. While on average, groundhogs live for two years, some live for five or six. They're active during the day, feeding mainly on low green vegetation, such as grasses and leaves. They feed standing upright, on the look-out for predators, which often turns out to be farmers, who regard groundhogs as a nuisance for damaging farm crops.
 Groundhogs make their dens in well-drained locations, seeking forest edges, areas of heavy brush, brushy fencerows, creeksides, and any undisturbed cover near farm land. A groundhog's enthusiastic digging gets it into trouble again with farmers, since the holes may damage farm machinery and building foundations. Dens are dug up to five feet underground and up to 30 feet long. A main entrance is supplemented with several "secret" entrances/exits to escape predators. The den contains several cozy rooms where they raise their young and hibernate.
The groundhog is a true hibernator, relying on body fat for winter survival. During hibernation (October to April), it rolls up into a ball with its heads between its hind legs and front paws together around its shoulders. The heartbeat slows, body temperature drops, and respiration decreases. It's in a deep sleep, waking only during the occasional warm spell in winter, and in spring. A groundhog can lose up to one-half of its body weight during the winter hibernation.
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