Fun Facts about Jimmy

1. Groundhogs are also called woodchucks, marmots, and whistling pigs. They are the largest member of the squirrel family.

2. The territorial range of the groundhog stretches from Alaska to northern Idaho, east through most of southern Canada, and south to Kansas, northern Alabama and Virginia. Mostly found in areas where woodlands meet fields, streams or roads.

3. Jimmy’s forecast accuracy rate is approximately 80%!

4. Jimmy’s prediction of an early spring in 2011 was correct; as was the Packer Super Bowl win!

5. Jimmy X is a young groundhog — approximately two years.

6. Groundhogs are heavier when they prepare for hibernation, and their weight goes down as spring nears. Jimmy X weighs about ten pounds.

7. While hibernating, the groundhog uses less energy: their heartbeat is slowed from 80 beats per minute to five; their body heat decreases from  99°F to 40°F; their breathing is reduced from 12 to four breaths a minute.

8. Groundhogs live 7-9 years in the wild, but when kept in captivity they can live to 15 years.

9. Jimmy IX has retired to spend his winters in Florida.

10. While groundhogs are mostly seen on the ground, they can climb trees and swim.

11. Groundhogs have amazing hearing and eyesight.

12. Jerry and Maria Hahn have taken Jimmy in to live on their apple farm (Jerry’s Apples) outside of Sun Prairie where he lives in a large hutch with hay for burrowing. In the summer he has a tunnel to an outside “sunning” area.

13. Jimmy eats carrots, lettuce, dandelions, apples and rabbit pellets, and he also takes vitamins. As a treat, Jimmy likes to eat peanut butter on his carrots.

14. Jimmy has his own veterinarian.

JOIN US Downtown, behind the Chamber Office (109 E. Main Street) on February 2 at 7:10 am to see if Jimmy predicts an early spring or 6 more weeks of winter! The GROUNDHOG CELEBRATION takes place on February 4th from 10 am to 2:00 pm at the Northeast YMCA (1470 Don Simon Dr, Sun Prairie, WI).