The resident groundhog at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center remains fast asleep this morning. He is not providing a weather forecast on the holiday that made him famous. We help him to hibernate each winter by closing up and creating a burrow-like environment in his outdoor enclosure. It will likely be early March before he naturally wakes up. To read more about groundhogs and hibernation, read the fun fact sheet at our Kids Corner.
By the way, what's the significance of February 2? The Cornell Univerity Chronicle says "Celestially speaking, Groundhog Day on Feb. 2 is a "cross-quarter" day, about halfway between the winter solstice in December and the vernal equinox in March, and is celebrated in some cultures as the mid point of winter. It's not far from the time many groundhogs end their hibernation anyway, around the second week of February."
Of course, the holiday is purely based on folklore and fun and not on science and nature. To separate the fact from fiction, we recommend a great Canadian website called Hinterland Who's Who. It includes illustrations of a groundhog burrow, range and more. Happy Groundhog's Day!
No comments:
Post a Comment