By: Tammy O’Neil, Wildlife Care Manager
Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks or marmots, are also called whistle pigs for the high pitched call they use to alert each other of danger. Groundhogs are herbivores and can be found in all of Ohio’s 88 counties, living in grasslands, pastures and woodlands. Groundhogs are the largest member of the squirrel family. They give birth in their underground burrows to young weighing only 30 grams—the size of a large mouse. As adults, they can weigh up to 14 pounds. Their burrows can be 45 feet in length and five feet underground. Burrows contain several chambers, one for sleeping, one for giving birth and one for excrement. When building a burrow, a groundhog can move enough dirt to fill a dump truck. They don’t have a chamber to store food because groundhogs are true hibernators and don’t need food to survive the winter.
A true hibernator sleeps through the entire winter season surviving only on fat reserves accumulated in the fall. They retire to their winter den, seal the chamber with dirt and curl up in a ball to sleep away the winter. They survive the winter because their bodies go through major changes. During hibernation, a groundhog’s body temperature falls from 97 degrees to 40 degrees and its heart rate drops from 100 beats per minute to 4 beats per minute.
Fun fact: although groundhogs live in burrows, they are excellent tree climbers (just like their squirrel cousins), often climbing trees to escape danger and be on the lookout for predators.
Dilbert has lived at the Kevin P. Clinton Wildlife Center since his arrival as a baby groundhog in May 2007. He was found wandering around someone’s yard in search of his mother (his eyes weren’t even open yet). Young groundhogs don’t normally leave their burrows until well after their eyes are open at around five weeks old. He was cold, weak and covered in ticks and his chances of survival were slim. He was given supportive care and developed well. He was unable to be released back to the wild because he became imprinted on humans.
Dilbert
Groundhogs love to eat alfalfa, grasses, clover and apples, but Dilbert’s favorite snacks are peanuts and avocados. During his younger years, Dilbert traveled to schools and fairs helping our staff to educate the public. Now that he is older, he only makes a few guest appearances at local fairs and spends the rest of his time at the Wildlife Center. He goes into his burrow for hibernation in mid-October and doesn’t wake up until the second or third week in March. So on February 2, when groundhogs are looked upon for their fabled weather predictions, Dilbert is fast asleep in his burrow, waiting for a warm spring day.
Lake Metroparks Animal Ambassadors represent a variety of native Ohio wildlife species. These residents are under the permanent care of the Kevin P. Clinton Wildlife Center staff because their injuries prohibit independent survival. Animal Ambassadors allow us to educate the public about conservation.
We invite you to support our mission of nature education, conservation and stewardship through "adopting" one of our Animal Ambassadors. Click here for more information.