Ground Hog (Woodchuck) (Marmota monax)

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Ground Hog (Woodchuck) (Sciuridae: Marmota monax)

The woodchuck, that forecaster of the end of winter and subject of the classic poem "How much wood would a woodchuck chuck", is a species of the Eastern Deciduous Forest and the Northern Boreal Forest.

Identifying Features: No other mammal can be confused with the woodchuck within the Eastern Deciduous Forest region. The animal is about 16 to 20 inches long (or tall if its standing). The tail adds another 5 to 7 inches. The creature is pudgy, short-legged, and yellow-brown to brown. You commonly see them standing upright next to a burrow entrance.

Habitat: The Ground Hog occurs primarily in open woods or in ravines near open fields.

Food: Woodchucks are herbivorous feeding on the new foliage of plants.

Behavior: Woodchucks are diurnal for the most part. They live in a complex of burrows, 4 to 5 feet deep, sometimes with 2 or more entrances. They hibernate over the winter. The groundhog lives for 4 to 5 years.

Reproduction: Woodchucks have one litter per year with 2 to 6 young.

Notes: There is a great place to watch woodchucks if you happen to live in, or are visiting, the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area. Take the Red Line Metro north toward Shady Grove and get off at the White Flint Metro Station. The banks on either side of the tracks are covered with Woodchuck burrows. The woodchucks seem to like standing by their burrow entrances watching the commuters getting on and off the trains. You can reciprocate by watching them.