Groundhogs

There is a groundhog living right down the street from our hotel in Greentree, PA. We're pretty sure it's not Punxsutawney Phil, since he lives quite a ways away, but perhaps an uncle or cousin. We've seen him three times...a real cutie!

From Wikipedia: "The Groundhog (Marmota monax), also called a Woodchuck or Whistlepig, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Most marmots live in rocky and mountainous areas, but the Woodchuck is a creature of the lowlands. It is widely distributed in North America, from Alaska to Alabama and Georgia. In the west it is found only in Alaska and British Columbia and northern Washington.
Groundhogs are typically 40 to 65 cm long (including a 15 cm tail) and weigh 2 to 4 kilograms. In areas with fewer natural predators and large quantities of alfalfa, they can grow to 24 inches (80 cm) and 30 lb (14 kg). " (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog)