Surprising Groundhog Facts for Groundhog Day

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Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell had Phil’s again in court docket—or would have, had it come to that

In a 2013 news story barely discernible from the form of satire that runs in The Onion, an Ohio lawyer demanded that Punxsutawney Phil pay for a fraudulent climate prediction—along with his life. “On or about February 2, 2013, at Gobbler’s Knob, Punxsutawney Phil did purposely, and with prior calculation and design, cause the people to believe that spring would come early,” Ohio prosecutor Michael Gmoser wrote in a cheeky open letter. “Contrary to the Groundhog Day report, a snowstorm and record low temperatures have been and are predicted to continue in the near future, which constitutes the offense of Misrepresentation of early spring, an Unclassified Felony, and against the peace and dignity of the state of Ohio.”

The punishment for this crime? “The death penalty.”

Absurdly, the saga continued when a Pennsylvania regulation agency brazenly responded to Gmoser, arguing that the Ohio legal professional had no authority to prosecute in Punxsutawney. Furthermore, Phil had a formidable workforce of character witnesses behind him, as starring in Groundhog Day had helped Phil forge “lifelong and loyal friendships with the lesser supporting cast, including Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, and Chris Elliot,” the agency wrote. “It is believed that Punxsutawney Phil has already been in contact with Mr. Murray, Ms. MacDowell, and Mr. Elliot, all of whom allegedly pledged to ‘have his back’ should legal action be necessary.” (It wasn’t.)

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Robo-groundhogs often is the future

We’ve come a great distance from consuming groundhogs, however their security continues to be not assured. On Groundhog Day 2014, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio by accident dropped Staten Island groundhog Charlotte, leading to inner accidents that killed her every week later. In 1999, Canadian groundhog celeb Wiarton Willie died the Sunday previous to Groundhog Day, however the news was scandalously withheld till February 3. Stories like these, compounded by the more and more giant crowds at Gobbler’s Knob, prompted PETA to counsel an alternate: Replace Punxsutawney Phil with a robotic groundhog.

While fears of a cyber-marmot rebellion fill your head, take into account Washington, D.C.’s cheaper answer: Potomac Phil, town’s anointed groundhog since 2014, is a taxidermied thrift store buy. Strange? Sure. But it seems D.C. isn’t alone with regards to distinctive wildlife—learn up on the strangest animal found in every state.

• Stormfax: “Stormfax Weather Almanac”
• Scientific American: “7 Things You Didn’t Know About Groundhogs”
• Stam Zervanos, professor emeritus of biology on the University of Pennsylvania
• PSU: “Totemism and Civic Boosterism in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, 1899-1909”
• Groundhog.org
• Live Science: “Punxsutawney Phil: The Groundhog Behind the Myth”
• Washington Post: “Ohio prosecutor seeks death penalty for Punxsutawney Phil after bad forecast”
• Washington Post: “Pa. law group warns Ohio official to ‘cease and desist’ prosecution of Punxsutawney Phil”
• Gawker: “Zoo Covers Up Bill de Blasio’s Groundhog Murder”
• CBC: “Sad news on Groundhog Day – Wiarton Willie is dead”
• NBC: “PETA Wants Robot Groundhog to Replace Phil”