PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Pennsylvania houses a variety of animals that spend their days scurrying around the vast landscapes and burrowing underground, and the groundhog is one of the most infamous.
Groundhogs aren’t known for being the friendliest rodent, but their history in the Commonwealth runs deep, even having a notable nationwide holiday that got its start in Jefferson County.
On the other hand, prairie dogs aren’t Pennsylvania natives. They're instead found in the western half of North America but, are surprisingly, legal to own as pets within the state.
While both marmots, which is another word for larger rodents, are celebrated in different ways, one may get a little confused when trying to tell the difference between them. At first glance, both are decently sized rodents that prefer to spend their time scampering around, but they have many striking differences!
According to DifferenceBetween.net, One of the most notable differences starts when looking at their physical appearance; prairie dogs are known to sit up on their haunches, while groundhogs tend to stay on all fours.
Additionally, groundhogs are typically around 26 inches long and weigh up to nine pounds, while prairie dogs trail behind at 16 inches in length and weigh up to three pounds.
The prairie dog has a slimmer body, which includes a thin tail and dusty brown fur that’s perfect for blending in with its native flatland environment, according to DifferenceBetween.
Since the groundhog is found in different climates, they have heavier coats, which have two layers for added insulation during frigid temperatures. The larger rodent has heavy-duty claws which help them burrow and climb trees.
However, the biggest differences are in their behavioral habits. Prairie dogs live in colonies, which can sometimes be spread throughout 100 acres. The communal families work together and utilize a home base system for protection and added security from predators.
While groundhogs aren’t solitary creatures, they prefer burrowing with three or four others at the most. Their burrows are only used for winter hibernation, as well as sleeping and raising young during the spring and summer.
DifferenceBetween also states whereas prairie dogs create somewhat of a town within their burrows underground, groundhogs have been known to utilize methods such as climbing trees or swimming away from predators, in addition to hiding in their burrows.
Even though these two species might look similar when flipping through a wildlife pamphlet, it's interesting just how unique they truly are from each other!