Time is fleeting and the month of February will soon be upon us. On February second we will consult our little four-legged furry weather man and see if winter with its freezing winds, ice and snow, will last another six weeks or more. Yes, February second is ‘Ground Hog Day’ and on this date the ground hog is thought to come out of hibernation and look all around the ground. Well if it will see its shadow, it will go back to sleep and winter will last another six weeks, maybe more. In the United States and Canada, the yearly Groundhog Day celebrations ** has given the groundhog recognition and popularity as believers swear by the legend of the four footed meteorologist. Though old-timers swear that it is such a prediction that seems to be a sure bet by the good folk that live over much of the groundhog’s range and habitat. (The source of Groundhog Day grew out of a mainly German superstition that if a hibernating animal casts its shadow on February second — the Christian holiday of Candlemas – then the freezing winter will last another six weeks.) “If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there’ll be two winters in a year!” (Scottish couplet)

Note: A ground hog is also known as a woodchucks or marmot. “”How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?” (Or in some areas it is called a ‘Whistle Pig’ or ‘Land Beaver’.) http://www.answers.com/topic/groundhog

A ground hog looks like a small beaver with thick brownish hair; its stocky body is one or two feet long, with a long tail and short legs. They generally have two layers of fur so that the outside layer can serve as waterproofing layer and the inside layer can maintain the body heat. The animal is a member of the rodent species related to the prairie dog and squirrel and is common in eastern and northern America. (Groundhogs are found as far north as Alaska, with their habitat extending southeast to Alabama). Despite their chubby appearance groundhogs are rather accomplished swimmers and excellent tree climbers when escaping predators. Groundhogs are excellent burrowers digging deep tunnels, using their burrows for sleeping, rearing young, and hibernation even sharing its burrow with several individuals.

The ground hogs are herbivorous and voracious eaters, eating all summer long; they like to eat tender roots of plants and trees, and sometime destroy crops planted in the fields; and their digging habits saw the ruination of many well-kept lawns. They are stubborn fighters and fiercely defensive when attacked. You wouldn’t expect them to be so aggressive, if you saw them lying in the sun quite leisurely.  They often sit up on their hind legs or lean against trees, resting and looking around for long periods. They never seem to be in a hurry.

When ground hogs are alarmed, they make use of a high-pitched whistle to warn the rest of the colony, hence the name “whistle-pig”. Groundhogs may squeal when fighting, seriously injured, or caught by an enemy – wolves, foxes, hawks, owls and even domesticated dogs. Other sounds groundhogs may make are low barks when it gives a warning to rivals at mating season and a sound produced by grinding their teeth. http://www.hoghaven.com/

By the month of October, a ground hog is so fat it could hardly walk; it is then time to hibernate. It curls up in its tunnel for the winter; for about six months, the ground hog is in a very deep sleep, living of its stored fat in its body. Then in spring, a ground hog spends a considerable amount of hours in waking from its winter sleep and when awoke the furry animal begins eating again.

**In Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, “Punxsutawney Phil” the world’s smallest and furriest weather forecaster will forecast weather predictions on Ground Hog Day on February second for the whole nation. Well the plausible reason why we have six more weeks of this season of wintry weather is that Phil saw his shadow in the year 2009 – nothing to do with climate change or gaseous emissions. http://www.groundhogs.com/