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At first glance there doesn’t seem to be anything really special about the common groundhog. They basically look like a larger, chubbier version of a gopher. Also called marmots, whistlepigs or woodchucks,groundhogs stand at around 2 1/2 feet, are grey and white in colour, and are common in many regions of North America. They communicate or signal danger by emitting a shrill whistle which sends adult and baby groundhogs alike scurrying for cover. The rodents are considered destructive to pasture land because they love digging holes and to crops because they have such huge appetites. In the weeks before hibernation they eat almost non-stop, bulking up to twice their size to prepare for winter. By the time the first snow flies and the groundhogs disappear into their holes to catch some winter zzzzzzz’s, people are muttering good riddance. Come January,
however, the winter-weary populace can hardly wait for the rotund little critters to wake up.
Why is it the lowly groundhog goes from pest to celebrity status virtually overnight? Blame the early European settlers. A long-standing custom that began in Medieval times was to watch the hibernation patterns of mammals common to the area. Hedgehogs seemed to be the popular choice. Since the spiny little creatures weren’t too common in North America, the prolific groundhog was the next best choice.
European winters are generally milder and the arrival of warmer weather usually occurs at the beginning of February,the mid-point of the winter solstice and the spring equinox. This date also coincides with an ancient Christian holiday called Candlemas Day. Warmer weather saw hibernating animals begin emerging from their winter burrows around this time as well. If the sun was shining and they saw their shadows and returned to their warm nests it meant winter would last another six weeks. If they didn’t spring was imminent and it was safe to plant crops.
North American winters, on the other hand, are much harsher and may last well past Easter, especially in the more northerly regions of Canada. Groundhogs have always been well aware of this meteorological fact. So they remained snug in their burrows while late winter storms raged and settlers wondered why the lazy rodents weren’t making their spring debut. Despite this seasonal misunderstanding, the settlers eventually figured things out. They also decided to leave the honor of prognosticating the arrival of spring on the groundhogs despite their initial lack of cooperation. It’s been a tradition ever since.
Somewhere along the timeline various groundhogs across the continent have been elevated to celebrity status. A few even have their own cushy, climatized digs - no more cold, dark burrows for these hefty rodents. Two of the most famous forecasters go by the name of Punxsutawney Phil and Wiarton Willie. Phil’s home state is in Pennsylvania, in a town called, you guessed it, Punxsutawney. His forebears go way back to the 1880’s when local residents slogged through snowdrifts looking for any groundhogs shaking winter cobwebs from their eyes. February 2nd is a big deal in town and Phil’s the big weather-forecasting wheel. Will he see his shadow or won’t he? That’s the question on every local resident’s mind that day - along with a few dozen reporters waiting for the earliest scoop.
Wiarton Willie, Canada’s furry forecasting wonder, lives in Wiarton, Ontario, a one-time lumber town located along Georgian Bay. What makes this Canadian groundhog so special is that he’s an albino. The fact that Willie was also born on the 45th parallel, which is exactly the halfway mark between the North Pole and Equator, only adds to his legendary skill locals contend. Willie put in 20 years of dedicated service and succumbed to old age in early 1999, just before he was due to emerge from hibernation. So well-loved was Willie that a white stone monument was erected in his honor at a local town park.
Town officials were worried they’d never find another prognosticating albino groundhog to fill Willie’s shoes - errr - paws. But fortunately two young albino littermates were spotted in Ottawa and whisked to Wiarton. Of the two, “Wee Willie” was the first to display the same talents as his famous predesessor. But his brother waits in the wings, just in case. Then again, as young and progressive nineties-type groundhogs, they might decide do a bit of job-sharing. Being in the celebrity spotlight all the time can really cut into a rodent’s other day-to-day activities like, digging big holes, checking out the girl
groundhogs, going hogwild over a new patch of grass and spending a lazy afternoon snoozing under the warm sun.
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