Woodchuck

• Its American nickname, whistle pig, comes from the shrill whistle it gives to warn other groundhogs of danger.
• It eats grasses, leaves, flowers and soft stems, along with crops such as clover and alfalfa.
• It lives in low-lying woodland, fields, grassland and hedgerows of eastern and central North America.
• historia culturalIn North America it is popularly tied to the traditional forecasting of winter's end, though there is no real scientific basis for the belief.

Skeleton type

Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)

Habitat & environment

Low-lying woodland, fields, grassland and hedgerows of eastern and central North America

Birth weight

26-27 grams at birth

Size at birth

Tiny at birth, blind and hairless

Sexual maturity

1-2 years

Gestation / incubation

31-32 days

Litter / clutch size

2 to 9 young per litter (most commonly 3-5)

Lifespan in captivity

Documented record of up to 14 years in captivity

Sources consulted: Animal Diversity Web; Missouri Department of Conservation; A-Z Animals; Georgia Wildlife Fact Sheet; NatureServe Explorer; Britannica; PMC (groundhog genome study)

Best time: From March to September, by day, along field edges and in open country in eastern North America; from October to February it hibernates in its burrow.