Groundhog (Marmota monax)
A common, larger rodent, hibernates and can be seen only after the last snow has gone and spring arrived. Groundhogs are used to civilization and build their burrows near houses.
- 🇫🇷 Marmotte commune
- 🇩🇪 Waldmurmeltier
- 🇲🇽 Marmota canadiense
Characteristics
- Length: 40-65cm
- Weight: 2-4kg
How to Identify
Around Montreal, there are no similar species like Hoary Marmot, Yellow-bellied Marmot or Vancouver Island Marmot, so that identification of this species is simple.
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Where and When to Spot
I saw Groundhogs in almost every park around Montreal. Morning and late afternoon, look out for patches of meadows where they like to feed. Although, living close to houses, they will run into the burrow when you get close.
Observations by Park and Season
| Location | Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jardin Botanique de Montréal | - | x | - | - |
| Parc Angrignon | x | x | - | - |
| Parc Michel-Chartrand | x | - | - | - |
| Parc Nature Pointe aux Prairies | x | - | - | - |
| Parc de la Frayère | - | x | - | - |
| Parc des Rapides, Lachine | x | x | - | - |
| Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park | - | x | - | - |
"-" indicates no observation. It may not necessarily mean though that the species is absent from the park during that season.