Early Canadian spring – according to the Groundhog!

Canadians can look forward to an early spring, based on three groundhogs failing to see their shadows on 2nd February.

Groundhog Day legend began with a German superstition that suggests if a hibernating animal casts a shadow on the Christian holiday of Candlemas, which is Feb. 2, winter will last another six weeks. No shadow indicates an early spring.

Europeans used to watch for hedgehogs, but a hedgehog shortage in North America caused settlers to switch to woodchucks, also known as groundhogs.

Groundhog Day cheers erupted in Wiarton, Ontario, as Wiarton Willie’s white-gloved, purple-robed handlers made the morning announcement that the rodent hadn’t seen his shadow, indicating an early end to winter.

Organizers of the Wiarton Willie Festival claim the albino groundhog’s track record over the past 50 years is “better than 90 per cent.”

On the East Coast, Nova Scotia’s best-known woodchuck also signalled an early spring. Shubenacadie Sam emerged from his heated home at the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park outside Halifax and failed to see his shadow.

In Manitoba, Manitoba Merv made his annual appearance at Oak Hammock Marsh, north of Winnipeg, and agreed with his fellow forecasters.

But Oak Hammock Marsh does things a little differently. Employees prefer to let their sleeping groundhogs lie.

“We find it a little cruel to wake up those poor rodents, who should technically be sleeping until the end of March at least,” said Jacques Bourgeois with the interpretive centre at the marsh. “Just to wake them up for that one day, we found was a little tough on them. So we decided to personalize the spirit of Groundhog Day with a puppet.”

The news comes as many Canadian cities reported their warmest January on record. Environmental officials believe a vortex of cold air that usually traverses the globe is parked over Russia, blanketing Europe with arctic weather. In contrast, North America is bathed in warmer air from the jet stream.

That fact isn’t lost on Wiarton Willie, said his handler, Mack MacKenzie, who translated the groundhog’s comments: “Fools, it is spring already. Why are you making these silly predictions?”
Handler Bill Deeley is about to plant a wet one on Punxsutawney Phil, Pennsylvania’s weather-predicting groundhog, on Thursday.

South of the border, Punxsutawney Phil delivered some unwelcome news.

The large crowd, gathered in Gobbler’s Knob, Penn., groaned loudly after learning the chunky critter saw his shadow, indicating six more weeks of winter.

So there you have it, spring 2006 is not too far away after all in Canada – according to the Groundhog or course!

Source: CBC News, 2nd Feb