The moment everyone has awaited finally arrives. There are many towns throughout North America that observe this occasion with their very own groundhog celebrity. Animal weather forecasters are a belief that dates back centuries, before European immigrants carried the tradition with them to the United States. Facts and legends intermingle to make Groundhog Day what it is today. They are close relatives to squirrels and chipmunks.
Groundhogs belong to the same order as beavers and rats.
Adult groundhogs weigh an average of about 10 pounds, but weight varies greatly throughout the year. Short, strong legs, and front feet with claws dig burrows in the ground for their homes. Groundhogs usually have two separate dens. One den is used during the summer months, and the other is for the winter season. The burrow has a main entrance, usually a foot wide.