This large rodent is a close relative of the squirrels. It is about 2 feet long, which includes a small tail, and can weigh fro 10 to 15 pounds. It lives in burrows, often near water, but is a very good climber of trees. The Woodchuck eats a large amount of a wide variety of plants daily. They are active during the day and hibernate in their dens from about October to March. The one in the first image is apparently getting ready to fix up his den for the winter.
Considered fairly common both on the floodplains as well as in the ravines of both nature centers. I have twice seen people releasing woodchucks from cages in the floodplain parking lot. They are often a nuisance in urban gardens and are caught and relocated.
The content of NatureSearch is provided by dedicated volunteer Naturalists of Fontenelle Forest who strive to provide the most accurate information available. Contributors of the images retain their copyrights. The point of contact for this page is: Roland Barth.