1. There are 4 species of marmot that are listed as extinct in several places, but not much is known about them. Marmota arizona (Arizona marmot), Marmota minor (lesser marmot), and Marmota vetus (The Old Groundhog) are known from the fossil record. Marmota robusta (Robust marmot) was an extinct subspecies of the Himalayan marmot, though research is conflicting. 2. There are 15 species of marmot today. The Vancouver Island marmot is a highly endangered species with a low of just 30 individuals in 2004. There are currently 251 in the wild today. 3. The marmots are the heaviest species of ground squirrel. The robust marmot, being a subspecies of the Himalayan marmot, weighed 20 pounds and stood 14 inches tall. 4. The Himalayan marmot lives in the Himalayan Mountains and on the Tibetan Plateau where it is known as the “Tibetan snow pig”. They live in the areas between the tree line and permanent snow limit. 5. The robust marmot, like the Himalayan marmot, would have been eaten by Tibetan wolves, golden eagles, foxes, and snow leopards. 6. Unlike some marmots, Himalayan marmots live in colonies. 7. Marmots are known for the ability to hibernate for long periods of time. Himalayan marmots hibernate for 7 ½ months of the year. During hibernation the marmot’s body temperature drops to 37 degrees Fahrenheit, the heartbeat drops to 5 beats per minute, and they only breathe 2 -3 times per minute. Marmots can lose ¼ of their body weight during hibernation. 8. The most well known member of the marmot family is Marmota monax, the groundhog also known as, woodchuck or wood shock from the Algonquin word ‘wuchak’, land beaver, thickwood beaver, bear rat, and whistlepig. 9. Groundhog Day takes place in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on February 2nd. If the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, sees his shadow it will be 6 more weeks of winter, If the groundhog does not see his shadow, it will be an early spring. This tradition was brought to America by German settlers, but they used a badger. Groundhog Day was the German immigrants’ spin on Candlemas, which commemorated the presentation of Jesus at the holy temple in Jerusalem. 10. The first “official Groundhog Day” took place in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania in 1887. Phil has seen his shadow 106 times and not seen it only 19 times. His accuracy is 39%. It has been celebrated consistently since 1890, but was not held in 1943 due to WWII. 11. The 1993 film Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray & Andie MacDowell was filmed in Woodstock, Illinois, not in Punxsutawney. According to research Bill Murray's character was stuck in the same day for 33 years and 350 days.