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http://mdc.mo.gov
Groundhogs are those furry weather
forecasters of February. Also known as
woodchucks, groundhogs spend the cold months
in an underground burrow, hibernating. If
you've seen a portly groundhog waddling
along, you'll find its name is quite
appropriate. They're stout animals, with
strong legs built for digging. And, expert
diggers they are, sometimes making a complete
burrow in one day. Groundhogs are covered
with a grizzly brown fur. They're one to two
feet long, weighing up to 14 pounds. Of
course, groundhogs are heftiest in fall just
before hibernation, and they awaken skinny in
spring, sometimes at half their fall weight.
By early November most groundhogs are already
hibernating. In this area, groundhogs begin
emerging in early February.
Contrary to popular belief, they come out
looking for plants to eat, not their shadows.
Tags : groundhog wildlife animals missouri conservation outdoors nature |
