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Nature Moments: Benefits of Obesity in Woodchucks

Woodchucks are called groundhogs and whistle pigs for a good reason: they spend six months gorging themselves before going into hibernation. If they don’t double their weight, they might not survive the winter. (Thanks to Chris Maher for sharing her expertise and Ariana van den Akker for her photography.)

Nature Moments are produced by Nat Wheelwright and Wilder Nicholson, with help from Genie Wheelwright, Paul Benham, Tom Porter, and Rebecca Goldfine.

View all Nat’s Nature Moments videos — and subscribe to receive them in your inbox (select “Maine’s Naturalist”).