WOODCHUCK

Woodchuck  http://www.askkids.com/fr?q=woodchuck&desturi=http%3A%2F%2Fed.fnal.gov%2Fentry_exhibits%2Fwoodchuck%2Fwoodchuck.html&initialURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.askkids.com%2Fpictures%3Fq%3Dwoodchuck%26qsrc%3D0&fm=i&ac=135&fsel=1&ftURI=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.askkids.com%2Ffr%3Fq%3Dwoodchuck%26desturi%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fed.fnal.gov%252Fentry_exhibits%252Fwoodchuck%252Fwoodchuck.html%26imagesrc%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fed.fnal.gov%252Fentry_exhibits%252Fwoodchuck%252Fgraphics%252Fwoodchuck_2.jpeg%26thumbsrc%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F66.235.120.64%252Fts%253Ft%253D3717853857528571756%2526pid%253D23136%2526ppid%253D10%26o%3D0%26l%3Ddir%26thumbuselocalisedstatic%3Dfalse%26fn%3Dwoodchuck_2.jpeg%26imagewidth%3D432%26imageheight%3D310%26fs%3D83%26ft%3Djpeg%26f%3D2%26fm%3Di%26fsel%3D1%26ftbURI%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.askkids.com%252Fpictures%253Fq%253Dwoodchuck%2526page%253D1%2526o%253D0%2526l%253Ddir%2526pstart%253D0&qt=0 http://www.wihumane.org/kids/images/woodchuck.jpg Diet: Did you know that woodchucks eat a lot? Woodchucks eat grass, leaves, and bark. The woodchuck loves to eat grass, clovers, trees, seeds, and nuts. The woodchuck rarely eats insects, snails, and birds' eggs. When woodchucks live near a farm they eat crops, corn, oats, and vegetables. In the spring they like to eat buds, twigs, and fruit trees.

Lifespan/Life cycle: Did you know that woodchuck's Lifespan and Life cycle is very amazing? Woodchucks have 2-9 babies. Did you know that woodchucks live up to six years in the wild? They most live up to 14 years. The breeding season is March and April. Did you know that the parents live their baby once it is a month in a half later? The babies stop getting weaned after a month.

Behavior/Special Skills: Woodchucks live alone. They also hibernate in the winter. At that time they drop their body temperature to 37 degrees farenhight. During the hibernation they drop their breath rate. Woodchucks sometimes dig a new hole to sleep in for the winter. Amazingly they have an ability to dig a 12 foot deep hole in hours.

Predators/Defense: Woodchucks have 5 main predators. 1 predator is snakes another is dogs. Others are badgers,coyotes, and foxes. To defened itself against these predators a woodchuck may hiss, growl, squal, or whistle. If one of these predators gets into its hole all woodchucks have an escape route that they use in these types of situations. To look out for their predators woodchucks make a "lookout tower" out of the soil they dug out of their hole.

Habitat

Woodchucks live in open habitats where vegetation is plentiful. They are found all along the Atlantic coast. Woodchucks live in holes with many compartments like Prairie Dogs. They are also found in Canada.

Physical Discription

The woodchuck is the largest member of the squirrel family. At twenty-six inches long it may look kind of like a beaver.

It weighs four to fourteen pounds and has chisel shaped teeth. Woodchucks also have thick coarse brownish fur. http://www.askkids.com/pictures?qsrc=2058&q=woodchuck&o=0&l=dir

__Resources__: Woodchuck." //Amazing Animals of the World®//. 2010. Grolier Online. 7 Oct. 2010 .

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