The groundhog, often called a woodchuck, is the only mammal to have a holiday named in his honor. Groundhog's Day, February 2ND, is not a federal holiday, no one gets the day off from work, but still to have a day named in your honor is quite a feat. How did the groundhog earn this honor? It stems from the ancient belief that hibernating creatures were able to predict the arrival of spring by their emergence.

This tradition comes from an old European belief that if it is sunny on Candlemas Day, February 2, then winter would remain around for another six weeks. But if it rained or snowed on Candlemas, the rest of the winter would be mild. If an animal "sees its shadow," it must be sunny, so more wintry weather is predicted. Candlemas commemorates the ritual purification of Mary, 40 days after the birth of Jesus.

If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Winter has another flight.
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Winter will not come again.

Traditionally, the groundhog is supposed to awaken on February 2 and come out of his burrow. If he sees his shadow, he will return to his burrow for six more weeks of winter. If he doesn't see his shadow, he remains outside and starts his year, because he knows that spring has arrived.

This lore grew popular in the United States in the late 1800s due to the efforts of Clymer H. Freas, a newspaper editor, and W. Smith, an American Congressman and Newspaper publisher. They organized and popularized a yearly festival in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, in which a groundhog named "Punxsutawney Phil" would foretell how much longer winter would last.

This popular event is still being held today, but of course it is just for show. Spring always arrives on or near March 21, so whether the groundhog decides to return to his den or remain above the ground - the fact is, spring will always have to wait at least six more weeks!

The groundhog, known as a woodchuck is a burrowing and hibernating mammal. The groundhog is a marmot, native to North America and commonly found in Canada and the eastern United States. Description: The groundhog is a shy, reclusive animal that lives in empty fields. The groundhog has a thick and coarse reddish-brown fur coat. It has an elongated head with sharp rodent-like teeth. It has a squat body, short legs and a solid muscular frame. The groundhog is mainly a herbivore, eating seeds, roots and other plant material. The groundhog has excellent eyesight. It has a very nervous disposition, ready to flee its burrow at any sign of danger.

Habitats: The groundhog prefers flat, empty fields. They dig long and deep burrows and place dried leaves in their sleeping chamber. The entrance of their burrow has anon-obstructive view of the sky and their immediate surroundings.

Enemies: The groundhog's main enemies are eagles, snakes, bears, wolves, felines and humans.

Many experts and non-experts have tried to answer the age-old question and tongue twister, "How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?" Or, is the question actually, "How much ground would a groundhog grind if a groundhog could grind ground?" The answers vary from "none" to "it all depends on the woodchuck's size, lifespan, etc." But, the most common answer is "about 700 pounds.

Compared to beavers, groundhogs/woodchucks are not adept at moving timber, although some will chew wood. A wildlife biologist once measured the inside volume of a typical woodchuck burrow and estimated that - if wood filled the hole instead of dirt - the industrious animal would have chucked about 700 pounds worth.