- Where to see one
- 4 U.S. zoos in our directory hold groundhog, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the groundhog
The groundhog, also called the woodchuck, is a large ground squirrel in the marmot group, found across much of the eastern United States, Canada and into Alaska. Unlike other marmots, it is a lowland animal, favoring open country and woodland edges, fields, pastures and hedgerows, and it is rarely far from a burrow entrance. Adults measure about 41.8 to 68.5 cm in total length and weigh typically 2 to 6.3 kg. Mostly herbivorous, it eats wild grasses, clover, berries and crops. It digs extensive burrows with two to five entrances, hibernates in them, and whistles to warn others of danger. Its burrows later shelter rabbits, raccoons, foxes and other animals.
Groundhog facts
- Its alarm call is a high-pitched whistle, which earned it the name whistle-pig.
- Despite its heavy build, it swims well and sometimes climbs trees.
- Its incisors grow 1.5 millimetres per week and are worn down by constant use.
- In early June its weight can increase by as much as 100% as it builds fat for hibernation.
Where to see groundhog in the U.S.
4 zoos across 4 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 3 zoos holding groundhog by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
1 more zoo holds groundhog but has no coordinates on file yet, so it isn't ranked here. It's in the full list below.
Massachusetts· 1
New York· 1
Pennsylvania· 1
Virginia· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
