Varmints 101
Simply put, groundhogs and woodchucks are the same animal. Both names describe a large North American marmot with a coat of silver-gray and brown.
The name "woodchuck" derives from the Delaware Indian word for the animal, "oijik" (pronounced "weejak"). The term "groundhog," a name well-suited to its bearer, is actually a Southern invention.
The groundhog digs itself a multi-level estate with separate quarters for sleeping, hibernating, and defecating. They are arranged vertically with the "bathroom" at the bottom.
While famed as a weather prophet, the groundhog is less than popular with farmers and gardeners, whose produce is his main sustenance. The groundhog's burrow holes have resulted in many a broken ankle for humans and farm animals.
The groundhog is abundant throughout North America, but it is without any real commercial value. Its fur is of low quality and the practice of eating groundhogs, while once common, has fallen out of favor.
