May 30, 2010 - Cuddly Chucks

Welcome to the Nature Notebook.

Along fence rows, meadows and farm fields, young groundhogs are hesitantly emerging from their dens to feed by themselves. Born about two months ago, these recently weaned mammals are starting to enjoy the tasty green morsels growing on their doorsteps. Weighing only about 2 pounds, these small chucks look like cuddly balls of fur as they mosey about selecting choice tidbits to munch. At the slightest provocation, the five to eight young groundhogs race for the safety of their burrow. Within a few minutes, one or two will hesitantly poke first a nose then a head from the burrow entrance. If the coast is clear, the litter mates tumble from the hole to resume their meal. By mid-summer, these young woodchucks will venture off on their own, digging temporary burrows close to their nursery den.

This is PPL's naturalist, Jon Beam, with the Nature Notebook for WVIA.