Woodchuck
Item
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Title
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Woodchuck
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Short Description
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Woodchucks are members of Sciuridae, the squirrel family
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Is Shown on Map
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True
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Map Icon Type
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animal
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Is Shown in Gallery
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True
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Is Featured On Landing Page
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True
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Description
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Woodchuck: Marmota monax
True Hibernators? Unlike most native New England species. woodchucks are true
hibernators. This means that woodchucks will sleep all winter long. During the fall season, woodchucks will eat continuously and nearly double their weight. When they enter hibernation, their core body temperatures lower to 40 degrees Fahrenheit and their heartbeat slows from to 4 beats per minute!
How fit do you think they are?
You might think that with their chunky bodies and short limbs woodchucks aren't
very athletic. Surprisingly, they are actually very good climbers, runners, and diggers.
They will often climb trees to eat leaves, stems. and berries. Woodchucks also dig
large burrows up to 50 feet long that they will live in year round.
We are Family
Woodchucks are members of Sciuridae, the squirrel family. They are closely related to prairie dogs and marmots. Like all squirrels, woodchucks must wear down their
continuously growing teeth. Unlike tree squirrels who wear down their
teeth by prying open nuts and seeds, woodchucks gnaw on leaves and
grasses instead.
Animal Corner
