For Immediate Release
Jan. 23, 2009
Groundhog Day is on its way, when hundreds of towns in several states look to a local groundhog to determine how long winter weather will wait around. With the frigid temperatures DuPage County has recently experienced, surely no one would blame local groundhogs if they rejected the whole weather-predicting business and stayed in their underground dens on their big day. And they could count on the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County to support their right to hibernate in peace. To the surprise of many residents, the District does not hold a typical Groundhog Day celebration, and with very good reason.
The District does not hold such an event because local groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, have yet to naturally wake up from hibernation by Feb. 2. The farther north a groundhog lives, the earlier it begins hibernation and the later it awakes from that state. In DuPage County, groundhog hibernation begins in late October or early November and ends in late February or early March, depending on environmental factors such as snow and temperature.
Waking a groundhog before it would emerge naturally can cause a threat to the animal’s health. "During hibernation, a groundhog’s heartbeat, metabolism and respiration slow, allowing it to live on its body fat," said District animal ecologist Dan Thompson. "If a groundhog is awakened from hibernation too early, it might not have the energy to find food and survive in cold winter temperatures."
Groundhog Day marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the vernal (spring) equinox. What started as a remnant of pagan festivals of rebirth and renewal and a Christian holiday known as Candlemas Day turned into a day of weather prediction. Legend has it that if the groundhog emerges from its hibernation hole on Feb. 2 and sees its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. If no shadow appears, spring is expected to arrive soon. Around the world, the behavior of bears, hedgehogs and other animals has been taken as an indication of the coming of spring.
For more information about groundhogs and other wildlife in DuPage County, contact Willowbrook Wildlife Center, the Forest Preserve District’s native-wildlife rehabilitation and education center, at 630-942-6200, or by e-mail at willowbrook@dupageforest.com. For more information about the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County’s many programs and places, call 630-933-7200, or visit www.dupageforest.com.
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Media Contacts: Dan Thompson, Natural Resources, 630-933-7672
Sandy Woltman, Willowbrook Wildlife Center, 630-942-6205