Groundhogs - Discover Nature (KRCG)

Every February the year’s most watched weather forecast takes place. Discover nature and learn about the only animal with its own national holiday, the groundhog.
Groundhogs, also known as woodchuck and whistle pig, is actually a rodent and the largest member of the squirrel family.
It is one of Missouri’s most widely distributed animals.
Groundhogs are vegetarians and feast all summer long to build up fat reserves. After the first frost, they go underground into their burrows and into a deep coma.

They are true hibernators. In other words, when it gets cold like in November they are going to find a place to lay up. And they will go into their burrow and actually their body temperature will drop dramatically, their heart rate will drop and they get into a sleep that you can’t just revive them.
Legend states if the groundhog comes out of his burrow on February second and sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. No shadow? Spring is near.
In Missouri, it would be rare to see a groundhog in February, since winter is only half over and they are still in hibernation.