February 2, 2012

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Happy Ground Hogs Day

By DNLee

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This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

February 2nd is Ground Hogs Day, my most favorite holiday of them all. Why? Because it's my birthday! I'm still phenotypically 27 and holding up. I'm sharing a composite of posts I've made about Ground Hogs Day at Urban Science Adventures! (c)

Marmota monax is the scientific name for ground hogs, also known as woodchucks. And how much wood would a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood? None. They spend their time eating plant materials like flowers and roots and the occasional juicy bug.

Though we celebrate groundhogs today, it’s actually an inconvenience to them. They are hibernators and don’t usually wake up until spring time – in March or April.

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Groundhog Day is celebrated in Canada and the United States but seems to have been a tradition brought over by European immigrants. The origins of the day are interesting and coincide with Candlemas Day, also February 2nd, a Catholic Celebration marking the end of Epiphany. Because my birthday falls on this holiday, I’ve always thought it was divine declaration that I, an animal-lover since babe-hood, would be born on an animal day and would become a biologist – and one who works with rodents....hmmmm.

Here are some photos of Wendy the Woodchuck of North Carolina Life and Science Museum.

I took this photo, she was sleeping.

 

 

DNLee is a biologist and she studies animal behavior, mammalogy, and ecology . She uses social media, informal experiential science experiences, and draws from hip hop culture to share science with general audiences, particularly under-served groups.

More by DNLee

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