A large ground squirrel, also called the woodchuck, and the only lowland marmot. It lives across much of the eastern United States, Canada and Alaska, and is one of the most solitary marmots. Despite its heavy build it swims well and sometimes climbs trees.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?No, herbivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?Yes
It fattens up by as much as 100% in autumn, then hibernates in its burrow without eating.
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?In places
At a glance
Found inNorth America
HabitatForest, Grassland, Farmland
ColoursBrown, Grey
SizeSmall
Length42–69 cm, including a 9.5–19 cm tail
Weight2–6.3 kg
Legs4
Covered inFur
Lives alone
Lives for3–6 years
Can swim
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Much of the eastern United States, across Canada and into Alaska.
- What it eats
- Mostly wild grasses and other plants; an adult can eat over 0.45 kg of vegetation a day.
Did you know
Digs burrows with separate chambers for sleeping and for the toilet.
It is one of the few animals that enter true hibernation, often in a separate winter burrow.
Abandoned groundhog burrows shelter rabbits, foxes, snakes and many other animals.
Often confused with
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