Mary's Monday Metazoan: We've got company

We've been invaded by a pair of groundhogs who have taken up residence under our deck, and are apparently dining grandly on our weedy overgrown backyard. They're evasive, though, and I've only got this one poor shot of one of them resting in the dappled shade.

ourgroundhog

OK, here's a clearer shot of what they look like from the web.

groundhog

These two are big beasts, and they probably outweigh our cat, who claws frantically at the door to the deck when they make an appearance. I have mixed feelings about their presence -- on the one hand, they have gnawed on things in the past, and now we've got a mating pair -- but on the other hand, they are native Minnesotans. Maybe I should leave them be.

On the third hand, they do look rather plump and meaty, and if we weren't all vegetarian, might be tempting to toss in a stewpot…

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Yesterday was Groundhog's Day and Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. The elder Free-Ride offspring expressed concerns about the conclusion that we're in for six more weeks of winter:
Last night, while tucking the Free-Ride offspring into bed: Dr. Free-Ride: Tomorrow is Groundhog's Day. Elder offspring: I really hope the groundhog doesn't see his shadow this year so we can have an early spring.
Here's just another friendly reminder that the latest edition of the

Watch where you walk because the groundhog holes are seemingly optimized to maximize damage to the legs. A shallow hole can twist an ankle. A deep one hit while jogging can destructively hyper-extend the knee.

I've an acquaintance that is passionate about shooting groundhogs. When he was young his horse broke a leg when it stepped into a groundhog burrow and had to be put down.