This section is dedicated to things that Willie enjoys to do when he's just kickin back . Groundhog Trivia Wiarton Willie has 22 teeth, as do all wood chucks, or groundhogs, or whistle pigs. Known in Latin as marmota monax, which strangely translates as solitary mountain mouse, the weather-wise Willie is of the marmot family of rodents, cousin to five other North American marmots. The Vancouver Island marmot is very much endangered, with only 135 still surviving. Groundhogs hibernate one to a burrow, with at least two doorways.
Males emerge earlier than females each spring.
Groundhogs can lose 50 per cent of their body weight in hibernation. Their maximum size is 10 kilograms. There are no groundhogs on Prince Edward Island. They can both swim and climb trees, and have a top speed of 15 kilometres an hour. Groundhog Day was once celebrated by ancient Celts.