Groundhog

The groundhog (Marmota monax), also called the woodchuck, is a large North American ground squirrel that hibernates through winter and lives in extensive burrows.

Marmot: A large ground squirrel in the genus Marmota, native to mountainous and open regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The groundhog is the only marmot species widespread in lowland eastern North America.
Torpor: A temporary physiological state in which an animal reduces its activity, metabolism, and body temperature. Groundhogs cycle through deep bouts of torpor during winter hibernation.
Groundhog Day: A North American observance on February 2 associated with a folk prediction of spring's arrival. The holiday turns the groundhog's emergence from its burrow into a weather omen.
Punxsutawney Phil: The groundhog featured in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania's annual Groundhog Day ceremony. Phil is the best-known individual groundhog associated with the holiday's weather prediction.
Ground squirrel: A squirrel that spends much of its life on or under the ground rather than in trees. Groundhogs belong to this broader group of burrowing squirrels.
Thermoregulation: The regulation of body temperature through physiological and behavioral processes. Groundhogs sharply lower and periodically restore body temperature while hibernating.
Agricultural pest: An animal that damages crops, livestock, or farm infrastructure in ways that affect production. Groundhogs can eat crops and undermine fields with extensive burrow systems.
Staten Island Chuck: The groundhog used in New York City's annual Groundhog Day ceremony at the Staten Island Zoo. Chuck is a prominent urban counterpart to Punxsutawney's famous groundhog.
Hibernation: A seasonal state of greatly reduced metabolism and body temperature that helps some animals survive winter. Groundhogs endure winter by entering prolonged hibernation in underground dens.
Foraging: The behavior by which an animal searches for and obtains food. Groundhogs forage aboveground during the warmer months to build energy reserves.

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Common nameBroader topic: Two common names refer to the same species in different naming traditions.