Meet the Groundhog!
I must say, I’ve tried countless times unsuccessfully to capture a photo of a groundhog up close. It seems the moment they sense my presence, they run away faster than I can even get the camera in focus. Until one day, during an afternoon walk, one particular groundhog gave me a closer than usual opportunity to capture him on video.
Instead of the typical reaction of running away from me, this particular groundhog ran toward me, giving me the chance to finally video his activity and get a closer look at him/her.
Groundhogs are interesting animals. Groundhogs are also known as woodchucks, and are one of the largest members of the squirrel family. They are one of the 14 species of marmots.
Groundhogs build underground burrows that range from 8-66 feet in length. They create multiple entrances and even bathrooms. They typically seek companionship only to mate, being content to be alone most of the time. They gorge on grasses and plants as well as fruits and tree bark for about nine months of the year, and after the first frost, will hibernate up to three months during the winter in their burrow. They draw on their own body fat during hibernation - their heart rate slows, and their body temperature drops. They emerge in the spring ready to mate and start the cycle again.
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