Brookfield Zoo’s Furry Forecaster Plays Meteorologist on Groundhog Day

                     Brookfield, IL—It happens every year, same date—
February 2—when Brookfield Zoo’s groundhog, Cloudy, takes center stage and has her 15 minutes of fame. Attention will be focused on the little 6-pound furry forecaster as she is tempted out of her winter digs with a carrot-shaped sweet potato cake during the zoo’s annual Groundhog Day celebration at 10:30 a.m. in Children’s Zoo.

According to legend, if a groundhog sees its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter; if it doesn’t, spring is just around the corner. Since 2001, Cloudy has predicted an early spring three times.

            Visitors are also welcome to view Stormy, the zoo’s other groundhog. Stormy has been temporarily residing in Children’s Zoo’s big barn for the past year-and-a-half while being treated for a dental issue. In October 2005, animal care staff noticed that Stormy’s bottom incisors were growing in crooked. Zoo veterinarians wired his bottom teeth together with a “brace” to help straighten them. Since Stormy has worn the brace for about a year, his bottom teeth appear to be growing in straighter and are in more normal alignment with the top teeth. He still gets his incisors trimmed about once a month, but he doesn’t have to wear a retainer.

            Immediately following the prediction, zoogoers are invited to join in the first-ever Groundhog Day parade with the zoo’s new woodchuck costumed character. The parade will begin outside the entrance of Children’s Zoo and will conclude at Hamill Family Play Zoo (free admission courtesy of LaSalle Bank), where youngsters can participate in a variety of groundhog-themed crafts and activities from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

            Admission to Brookfield Zoo is $10 for adults and $6 for children ages 3-11 and seniors 65 and over. Admission to Children’s Zoo is free on February 2. Parking is $8. The Groundhog Day celebration is sponsored by American Airlines. For further information, visit the zoo’s Web site at www.BrookfieldZoo.org.

            How did Groundhog Day begin? One theory holds that it originated with European farmers in the 18th century. In Europe, where winter is typically milder than in the Midwest, farmers would watch hedgehogs come out of hibernation in early February. Their appearance was a sign that it was time to begin spring planting. Since there are no hedgehogs indigenous to the United States, the tradition was transferred to groundhogs, which are also known as woodchucks, marmots, and whistlepigs (because of the shrill whistle they give when alarmed).

            Groundhogs hibernate when the air temperature drops to 50°F for an extended period. During hibernation, a groundhog’s body temperature drops from 90°F to 38°F. It takes a breath about once every minute, and its heart slows to only four to six beats a minute. When spring arrives, it may take several hours for a hibernating groundhog to rouse from its slumber.

            The mission of the Chicago Zoological Society, which manages Brookfield Zoo, is to inspire conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature. Open every day of the year, the zoo is located off First Avenue between the Stevenson (I-55) and Eisenhower (I-290) expressways and is also accessible via the Tri-State Tollway (I-294), Metra commuter line, CTA, and PACE bus service.