Woodchuck (Groundhog)
Scientific Name: Marmota monax
Woodchucks are among the largest ground squirrels and are the most widespread of the marmot species. They are stocky in appearance and are often seen standing up on their hind legs. Their coat varies from a dark brown, to cinnamon, to gray color, with white tipped guard hairs.
They have a short bushy tail that is dark brown to black in color. Woodchucks have white teeth, unlike many of their rodent relatives. They have small, rounded ears that cover the ear canal, preventing dirt from entering while burrowing. Males are typically larger than females.
Adult size: 16 to 27 in
Weight: 4 to 13 lbs
Life span: 2 to 6 years
Maturity: Some become sexually mature at 1 year, though have lower birth rates than 2-year-olds.
Litter size: 1 to 9
Fun Fact
Woodchucks have way too many common names including groundhog, chuck, marmot, whistle-pig, mouse bear, thick-wood badger, ground-pig, land-beaver and more! The name “woodchuck” comes from the Algonquian word “wuchak” meaning “digger.”
Diet
Woodchucks are herbivores and forage on many different plant species. Their preferred forage is alfalfa, clover, and dandelions. They will occasionally feed on bark, leaves, insects, and bird eggs. They eat large quantities of food before winter to build their fat storages for hibernation.
Habitat
Woodchucks inhabit many different ecosystems. They are mostly found at low elevations near forests, agricultural fields, woodlots, and human developments. They thrive off of food access that humans provide. They require well drained soils to construct their large and compartmentalized dens.
Behavior
Woodchucks are diurnal, active mostly during the day. They are burrowing mammals and construct both summer and winter dens with multiple entrances, chambers, and tunnels. Dominant male territories generally overlap with multiple female territories, while younger subordinate males are nomadic and move frequently.
Woodchucks are mostly solitary but can occasionally be seen greeting each other. They communicate through a variety of vocalizations, as well as scents from their scent glands. Woodchucks are considered true hibernators, though in their southern ranges they stay more active and may enter periods of torpor.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Woodchucks are polygynous, meaning males have multiple female mates within the breeding season. Females only enter estrus once a year during the spring, usually right after they arise from hibernating. Gestation lasts approximately 32 days. Pups mature quickly and are weaned by 44 days after birth, leaving the mother when they are 2 months old.
Population Status
Woodchucks are abundant and have a broad geographic range. They are listed as of “least concern” on the IUCN Red List.
Viewing
They can be seen almost anywhere in the state. Look for sign of their burrows along the edge of meadows, cleared agricultural lands, and old fields.
Range
Woodchucks are the most widespread of the marmot species in North America. They can be found throughout Alaska and east into Labrador, Canada. They can be found as far south as Georgia, and to Oklahoma in the West. They occur throughout most of New York State, with the exclusion of high elevation areas like the Adirondack and Catskill mountains.
