February’s
Species of the Month is another little critter we associate with winter
weather. Or spring. It’s everyone’s favorite amateur weather prognosticator,
the groundhog. No matter what his prediction is, it is still six weeks until spring and six weeks of winter. Information and picture this month come from University of
Michigan’s Animal Diversity Web.
Scientific
name: Marmota monax
Kingdom:
Animalia (animals)
Class:
Mammalia (mammals)
Order:
Rodentia (rodents)
Range: Eastern
US from the South to eastern Canada, west across Canada as far north as
southern Alaska
Habitat: Grassland,
forest, urban and agricultural areas.
Lifespan: 4-6
years
Diet: leaves,
bark, seeds, grain, flowers, insects, eggs, mollusks
Predators:
wolves, coyotes, foxes, bears, lynx, bobcats, hawks, snakes, domestic dogs
Conservation
Status: No special protection
Other Information:
Also known as the woodchuck and whistle pig. If it could chuck wood, it chucks
unknown amounts. Abandoned dens find new life hosting a diverse array of
critters including foxes, ground squirrels, skunks, and raccoons. Ecosystem
functions groundhogs perform are seed distribution and soil aeration. They are
able to climb trees and make a whistling call when frightened. Other sounds are
hissing, growling, and teeth chattering. A hibernator, they sometimes wake up early, giving rise to the Groundhog Day legend. Favorite plant foods include clover
and dandelion. Groundhogs are used for biomedical research and are a crop pest.
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