| WOODCHUCK
NATURAL HISTORY
Woodchuck Scientific Name: Marmota monax Common
Problems:
Digging
in Yard and Eating Plants: Because
woodchucks dig extensive burrows, they can cause damage to crops and
gardens. Woodchuck dens can be up to 5 feet deep and up to 50
feet in length, often utilizing more than one entrance or
exit hole. To encourage woodchucks to live elsewhere, try leaving
an inflated beach ball to blow around on your lawn. The irratic
movement of the beach ball is disturbing to most wildlife. Used
cat litter can also be deposited in known entrance holes. Further,
it is often effective to disturb the mounded soil around the burrow
entrance (ala a predator trying to dig in). These deterrents often
work best when used at the same time to make it clear to more
than one of the animal's senses that this is no longer a
safe place to live and to move on. To
protect plants or vegetable gardens, install a fence made of garden
wire. The fence should extend at least 1 foot below the soil level
(to prevent digging under it) and be loose on the top so that
it wobbles when climbed (animals hate this). Due to the nature of their burrows, capture and relocation is not recommended as it is far too easy to leave young behind in the burrow to die. It is simply impossible to locate and extract the helpless young when a burrow can be 50 feet long. Leaving them behind to die is simply inhumane.
Description: Woodchucks are stocky mammals, with short, strong legs and a short, bushy, almost flattened tail. Their fur ranges from light to dark brown, with lighter guard hairs, giving them a frosted appearance. The ears can close over the ear openings to keep out debris while underground. The feet are dark brown to black; the front feet have long, curved claws for digging burrows. Breeding: 1 litter per year between April and May with 2-6 young. Habits & Haunts: Woodchucks live in thickets, fields and woodland edges. Woodchucks are excellent diggers; they dig both simple and complex burrow systems. The depth and length of the burrow varies depending on the type of soil. Most burrows are 25-30 feet long and from two to five feet deep, with at least two entrances. Their burrows consist of nesting quarters for sleeping and raising young and even a toilet to keep the chamber clean. They can be seen early morning or late afternoon and are one of the few mammals classified as a true hibernator. Food: Woodchucks eat succulent plants such as clover, alfalfa, garden vegetables and grasses. They will also eat tree leaves, buds, and fruits. Found An Orphan? Click here Some information about Rabies in Wildlife |
