Marmota monax

Marmota monax is a North American mammal commonly known as a groundhog or woodchuck. Woodchucks are in the large taxonimical order rodentia, which also includes rats, mice, guinea pigs and squirrels. Woodchucks go into true hibernation for the winter, and are therefore important for scientific study.

Woodchucks were immortalized in a tongue twister: How many chucks would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? As many chucks as a woodchuck could if a woodchuck could chuck wood.

There are many variations of this play on words.

As groundhogs, they are best known as foretellers of whether spring will arrive late or early in any given year. See Groundhog Day.

Woodchucks are considered cute by many; but farmers often see them as a pest.