Animals of the Tallgrass Prairie - Woodchuck

Groundhog

In honor of Punxsutawney Phil and Groundhog's Day, I've decided to make the woodchuck (a.k.a. the groundhog) the featured animal in today's Animals of the Tallgrass Prairie post.

Woodchucks are a fairly large rodent in the squirrel family and are common in Missouri. They have short, powerful legs and a fairly long, bushy, and somewhat flattened tail. The coarse fur on their backs is a grizzled grayish brown with a yellowish or reddish cast to it. Woodchucks measure in length from 16 to 27 inches long and, on average, they weigh between 4 and 14 pounds (they weigh the least in spring when they are fresh out of hibernation and the most in autumn prior to hibernation). The groundhog will give out a loud, shrill whistle when suddenly disturbed or alarmed. For this reason they are sometimes called whistle pigs.

Woodchucks dig burrows along fencerows, heavily vegetated gullies, or streams, or along borders between open land and timbered areas. The main entrance is often located near a rock or a stump and is usually easy to spot due to the pile of freshly excavated earth. Side entrances (or spy-holes), are somewhat smaller and better hidden. A complex tunnel system leads to a nest three to six feet underground. In addition to the nest, the burrow also contains a separate toilet chamber.

Woodchuck or Groundhog Burrow

Woodchucks hibernate in their burrows from late October until sometime in February. Breeding takes place soon after they emerge. Pregnancy lasts 31 to 33 days, producing a single, annual litter of 2 to 9 young toward the end of March. At birth, newborn woodchucks are only about 4-inches long. They are naked, blind, and helpless; their eyes will open after 4 weeks. They start going outside of the burrow at 6 to 7 weeks of age. By mid-summer, the young weigh about 4 pounds and may dig temporary burrows before moving farther away to establish homes of their own.

Woodchucks are almost complete vegetarians. They enjoy eating leaves, flowers, and soft stemmed grasses. They also enjoy field crops such as clover and alfalfa and many kinds of wild herbs. Certain garden crops (peas, beans, and corn) are among their favorites and a woodchuck will even climb a tree to obtain an apple or a delicious pawpaw.

At one time woodchuck fur was used by man to make fur coats. The flesh of young, lean animals is good for food and, because woodchucks are one of the few large mammals that are out and about during daylight hours, many people enjoy watching them. Their burrowing makes them unwelcome in many places, including cemeteries and where earthen dams hold back lake water.

The woodchuck's importance as a builder of homes for other animals is significant. Skunks, foxes, weasels, opossums, and rabbits all use woodchuck burrows for their dens. As woodchucks move tremendous quantities of subsoil as they dig, they contribute much to the aeration and mixing of soil.

A Return To Life On The Tallgrass Prairie

It's been well over a year since I last posted anything on this blog and many changes have taken place in that time. I'm still working at Prairie State Park in southwest Missouri and I'm still loving my job...more than ever, in fact!

When I was hired on at the park in June of 2014, my position was basically one that consisted of secretarial and janitorial-type duties. Through a series of unexpected twists and turns, somehow, I ended up in a different position and have been a year-round seasonal naturalist for about a year and half now. In that time I have presented multiple programs to children and adults of all ages and attended several training sessions. I have learned much and, hopefully, have educated others along the way.

It is my goal to return to a consistent sharing of my experiences and adventures of life on the tallgrass prairie and, as I have time, go back through my pictures and stuff and catch you up with some of what I've missed along the way.

Until Next Time...
~Rebecca

January Ice

This morning we experienced an ice storm here in southwest Missouri. It certainly wasn't the worst ice storm that we have ever experienced. In fact, it was probably the least destructive ice storm that I can remember and that's because, thankfully, it didn't last long. Temperatures were already warming up and most of the ice had melted by the time I took these photos at Prairie State Park, but, still, I thought the photos worth sharing.

Prairie Grasses Under Ice

The Bison Fence On Sandstone - It Reminds Me Of An Ice-Trimmed Picture Window

An Icy Directional Sign

Sandstone Trailhead Sign Encased In Ice

Hunkah Prairie - Path of the Earth People

Tallgrass Prairie Under Ice

Delicate Grasses Enshrouded In Ice

Last Year's Thistle Encapsulated in Ice

Another Ice Encapsulated Thistle

Even The Bison Chips Were Ice-Capped