#marmot

Meeting some of the locals, Mt. Rainier

ɢ𝑟𝑎nd𝑒𝑠 ʀ𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠 / 𝑓𝑟𝑎n𝑐𝑒 🇫🇷

Groundhog Marmota monax

Also known as the woodchuck, it is a rodent belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. It is found through much of the Eastern United States, across Canada and into Alaska.

The groundhog is an important contributor to the maintenance of healthy soil in woodlands and plains; as such, the species is considered a crucial habitat engineer. The groundhog is an extremely intelligent animal, forming complex social networks and kinship with its young; it is capable of understanding social behavior, communicating threats through whistling, and working cooperatively to accomplish tasks such as burrowing.