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PrintPrepping for Winter: Woodchuck Style!
It was a glorious October afternoon when I met my first climbing woodchuck. As I strolled along the abandoned orchard admiring the reds and golds of leaves and fruit, there was a scuffle and a squeak ahead. When my eyes focused on the odd sight, a groundhog stared back at me from halfway up a tree.
She never flinched as I walked slowly past. If I hadn’t seen her scamper up, I would likely have missed her presence since her grizzled fur blended discreetly into the tree bark.
Woodchucks aren’t graceful climbers like their cousins the squirrels, but in a pinch they can climb up a tree to escape danger. Out in the open, they dash down the nearest hole. Woodchucks create underground dens with at least two entrances. Front and back doors are useful if you are being pursued by a fox or coyote.
Woodchuck by any other name
“Groundhog” and “woodchuck” are two names for the same animal. While most of us have never seen a woodchuck climb a tree, fewer have seen it exhibit the behavior that earns it another name: “whistle pig.” To keep an eye out for predators, a woodchuck raises up on its hind legs to get a better view. If startled, it may let out a shrill whistle. I observed this behavior once in a soybean field. At the sound of the whistle another “chuck” scurried to safety farther out in the field. Presumably the whistle warns nearby relatives.
As more farmland and woodland edges are turned into housing tracts and shopping areas, groundhogs are displaced from their natural habitat. Once exclusively a rural creature, it is now common to see woodchucks in suburbs, along highways and within city limits.
In fall, woodchucks spend most daylight hours eating plants. It’s time to fatten up before the long winter slumber that awaits them.
When woodchucks reach their mature size in October, few predators can tackle them. Weighing in at around 10 pounds they are simply too heavy for foxes and hawks. Their biggest “predator” is our cars. Many woodchucks are hit as they try to get to the other side of the road, where the grass most certainly must be tastier.
Family Activity - Hibernaculum
By the end of the month, animals that hibernate or sleep through winter are looking for a safe and protected place to slumber. Here are some activities to get children to think about how animals get ready for winter.
Some animals such as woodchucks are true hibernators, and do not wake up to eat until spring. In fall, they feed on plants and berries to fatten up. Their fat, like a winter jacket, will keep them warm. Woodchucks also prepare a winter underground tunnel. The perfect place will include a sheltered entrance, a cozy place to sleep and a space to go to the bathroom.
Squirrels retreat to their tree-top leafy nests in winter, but do not hibernate. Instead, they pad their nests with extra leaves to block the cold wind and sleep only through the most severe weather. In fall, they gather and store nuts to feed on when the snow comes.
If you were going to create a hibernaculum or sleeping den to spend the entire winter, what would it look like?
Drape a blanket or sheet over a picnic table and crawl inside. Bring in a pillow and a blanket. Have your child make a list of all them things he would need to help him get through the winter in his den.
Are there things your family does to get ready for winter such as buying new coats and getting out winter sweaters? We don’t put on a layer of fat like the woodchuck does, but some families can or freeze fruits or vegetables to eat in winter. What else do you do to get ready for winter?
After you made your lists, take a nap in the den. When you wake up, it must be spring, and time for a snack!
