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This Himalayan marmot (groundhog) (Ladakh, India), A groundhog burrow hole showing size.
The Groundhog (Marmota monax) is a rodent family , belonging to the group of large ground squirrels also known as marmots, woodchucks, whistle-pigs and land-beavers.(From Wikipedia)
Widely distributed in North America and Ladakh in India. Marmots hibernate through the winter. They use loud whistles to communicate with one another, especially when alarmed.
Marmots mainly eat greens. According to mythology Ground hog coming out of its home predicts the weather if it is cloudy it emerges from its burrow on this day, then the spring will arrive early thus if it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and winters will persist for six more weeks.
Their distinctive "frosted" appearance is due its guard hairs over the dense grey undercoat of fur They are well adapted for digging, with short, powerful limbs and curved thick claws Though they are small creatures but contributed to dig out a historic village in central Ohio - a famous archeological site known to be as Ufferman Site. In U.S. appearance of marmots as a sign that spring is going to arrive soon and celebrated as traditional holiday on 2 Feb.