Groundhog Day takes place on February 2nd every year in the United States. The official groundhog is located in the town of Punxsutawney in the state of Pennsylvania. On February 2nd people gather around to see how the groundhog will react when it emerges from its burrow after its winter hibernation. If the groundhog sees its shadow, legend has it that the animal is afraid of it and there will be six more weeks of winter. Alternatively, if the groundhog does not see its shadow and is not afraid, then there will be an early spring.
The significance of the groundhog's decision is related to the fact that early America was very dependent on choosing the correct time to plant seeds for the growing season. If people planted the seeds too early, their crops could be killed in a frost, but if they waited too long to plant their crops, they risked losing valuable growing time. Many believe there is a relation to the European Candlemas holiday, which can be traced back to ancient Roman times when a similar tradition relied on a hedgehog.
The animal used in the Punxsutawney celebration has been named Punxsutawney Phil. His burrow is called Gobbler's Knob and the local people who interpret his forecast are called the Inner Circle. The current president of the Inner Circle "speaks" to Punxsutawney Phil in "Groundhogese," and then explains to other people whether the groundhog thinks spring has begun, or if there will be six more weeks of winter.
Groundhogs normally weigh between 12 and 15 pounds, though Punxsutawney Phil weighs about 20 pounds. They have coarse gray hair tipped with either brown or a dusty red. They eat mostly greens with a bit of fruit. Their body goes into a state similar to a coma when they hibernate and drops its core temperature by a few degrees. Groundhogs normally live for about four to nine years, despite Punxsutawney Phil's rumored 125 years of life.