Groundhogs are not male, but they can be: The slumber party of groundhogs during the 1993 film “Groundhog Day”
Both Zervanos and Maher say it’s possible that in some cases, groundhogs that are presumed to be male could actually be female: “Not easy to tell unless you are close up,” Zervanos said.
Christine Maher is a biology professor at the University of Southern Maine.
If the animal sees its shadow, the tradition goes, it means six more weeks of winter, and he (or she) returns to their burrow. If there is no shadow, the animal stays put, signaling an early spring.
“I suppose that if kept in captivity, it’s possible for a female to arouse from hibernation earlier than we’d expect in the wild,” Maher said when asked about female groundhogs being highlighted on Groundhog Day.
She has been studying the behavior of groundhogs, or woodchucks, for more than 25 years — but, Maher cautions, she is “not in tune with all the Groundhog Day celebrities.”
It’s understandable: The Groundhog Day field has grown since the eponymous 1993 film made the day more popular. One recent tally counted dozens of prognosticating animals in the U.S. and Canada.
Female animals predict when the winter will end. Lady Edwina of Essex County in New Jersey has been in the prediction game since just 2022, when she took over for the Essex Ed.
Gertie the Groundhog has been making predictions in Illinois since 1993, and according to the Wildlife Prairie Park in Hanna City, she has been more accurate than Phil over that span.
Woody has been right about winter’s end date almost 70% of the time since 1999, according to her handler at the Howell Nature Center.
In the South, females could be out in early February. It would only be males in the northern part of the range.
Once females emerge from their hiding place, males visit females in burrows. “Woodchucks plug their burrows with leaves and other material when they enter hibernation. Thus, they need to dig out first. Once females emerge, usually a few weeks after males, the breeding season begins.
“You can call it a slumber party,” Zervanos told NPR. “They are both out at this time at our latitude to reestablish bonds in preparation for mating in a few weeks.”
“Some juveniles don’t leave home in their first summer, and some never leave home!” She said so. They will settle near their kin, who also live nearby, and continue to interact with those relatives throughout their lives.
The Big Expenditure in Punxsutawney: Groundhog Day 2024 declares an early spring, or does it remind us of Candlemas?
Events around the big reveal in Punxsutawney have grown over the years, along with wide media interest and corporate sponsors. The schedule for Groundhog Day in 2024 ranges from a “Lunch With Phil” to a talent show, a Groundhog ball and a banquet, culminating in “Hogspitality Village” and another event titled simply, “Party All Night!”
“Glad tidings on this Groundhog Day. An early spring is on the way,” a proclamation was read out at Gobbler’s Knob, elating a crowd of thousands of people who had weathered dark and cold to see the famous rodent.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration stated that over the last 10 years, Phil has gotten it right 70% of the time.
Could anything symbolize our era more than legions of people using smartphones to learn whether a prognosticating rodent is predicting six more weeks of winter?
It’s the middle of winter. Frankly, we’re bored, and we’re looking for something to keep us occupied during the time of year,” biology professor Christine Maher from the University of Southern Maine told NPR. Guessing about the weather may be one way to keep us interested. We may be desperate for a sign that spring is around the corner.
The tradition of seeking a sign of an early spring or late winter was started by the Christian tradition of Candlemas.
Source: Watch Groundhog Day 2024: Punxsutawney Phil declares an early spring
Milltown Melandrina, a town of milltown fans and snags from the beginnings of the milltown revolution, and the fate of Maher’s day
When Europeans realized that the animal they were associated with spring’s arrival was a type of badger, they enlisted the aid of the groundhogs.
Humans’ expansion into formerly wooded lands has likely helped groundhogs thrive, Maher said. The creation of more open areas with vegetation and a food supply has resulted in a more hospitable environment for woodchucks.
In Milltown, N.J., there is no happiness on the day as Milltown Mel died before predicting his prediction in 22 years’ time. The town’s efforts to replace him have run into legal snags.