Where Can Groundhogs Be Found (US States And Countries) (2024)

Published on June 19, 2022
Last Updated on October 11, 2023

Other members of the marmot family can be found throughout Asia, Europe, and North America, but where exactly can groundhogs be found?

Groundhogs, or Marmota monax, can be found throughout North America. This includes both Canada and the United States.

Where Do Groundhogs Come From?

Table of Contents

  • 1 Where Do Groundhogs Come From?
  • 2 What Kind Of Climate and Terrain Do Groundhogs Prefer?
    • 2.1 Climate
    • 2.2 Terrain
  • 3 In Which States Are There Groundhogs?
  • 4 Are There Groundhogs Outside Of North America?
    • 4.1 Are There Groundhogs In Latin America?
    • 4.2 Are There Groundhogs In Europe?
    • 4.3 Are There Groundhogs In Asia?
    • 4.4 Are There Groundhogs In Australia?
    • 4.5 Are There Groundhogs In Africa?
  • 5 Have Groundhogs Been Introduced To Regions Where They Aren’t Originally From?
  • 6 Are Groundhogs Considered An Invasive Species In Some Places?
  • 7 Author

Groundhogs are a type of marmot which belong to the same family as squirrels. They are native to the central and eastern United States as well as every province of Canada.

Within the United States they can be found from Maine all the way down to South Carolina, North Dakota down to Oklahoma, and everywhere in between.

They belong to the Marmota, or marmot genus which is composed of large ground squirrels.

What Kind Of Climate and Terrain Do Groundhogs Prefer?

Climate

Groundhogs prefer a warm and dry climate, though they can withstand cold and harsh winters by hibernating.Groundhogs that are located in the southeastern United States seldom have to hibernate during the winter thanks to steady year-round temperatures which provide an ample food source during the winter months.

They prefer areas where clear skies and sunshine are common because it helps them detect predators easier than when it is cloudy and raining.Groundhogs will typically stay in their burrows during rain for safety.

Terrain

Groundhog populations are commonly found in clearings on the outside of forested areas. This includes meadows, fields, pastures, and rocky slopes, though they can be found burrowing in low-density forests as well. These clearings provide clear lines of sight and sound which are advantageous to the groundhog’s survival.

They create their burrows in dry soil that drains well, to avoid flooding during precipitation events.

In Which States Are There Groundhogs?

StateSpecies Present?LocationConservation Status
AlabamaYesCentral and northern AL, away from the coastSecure
AlaskaYesEast-central AK, from Fairbanks to the Yukon Territories border.Secure
ArizonaNoN/AN/A
ArkansasYesWestern AR, including the Arkansas river valley, Ouachita, and Ozark mountain rangesApparently Secure
CaliforniaNoN/AN/A
ColoradoNoN/AN/A
ConnecticutYesWide distribution throughout the stateSecure
DelawareYesWide distribution throughout the stateSecure
FloridaNoN/AN/A
HawaiiNoN/AN/A
GeorgiaYesNorthern GA, Piedmont, and North Georgia Mountain RangeVulnerable
IdahoYesEast-central ID, Snake River, Twin FallsSecure
IllinoisYesSouthern and Western ILSecure
IndianaYesWide distribution throughout the stateApparently Secure
IowaYesWide distribution throughout the stateSecure
KansasYesEastern KS, east of Manhattan and Arkansas CityApparently Secure
KentuckyYesWide distribution throughout the stateSecure
LouisianaNoN/AN/A
MaineYesSouthern MESecure
MarylandYesWide distribution throughout the stateSecure
MassachusettsYesWide distribution throughout the state except for Nantucket and Martha’s VineyardSecure
MichiganYesWide distribution throughout the stateSecure
MinnesotaYesWide distribution throughout the stateUnranked
MississippiYesNorthern MSApparently Secure
MissouriYesWide distribution throughout the stateApparently Secure
MontanaNoN/AN/A
NebraskaYesEastern NEApparently Secure
NevadaNoN/AN/A
New HampshireYesWide distribution throughout the stateSecure
New JerseyYesWide distribution throughout the state, including the Jersey ShoreSecure
New MexicoNoN/AN/A
New YorkYesWide distribution throughout the stateSecure
North CarolinaYesWestern NC, East of the Appalachian MountainsSecure
North DakotaYesNortheastern ND, Turtle MountainUnranked
OhioYesWide distribution throughout the stateUnranked
OklahomaYesEastern OK, including Pawnee, Payne, Lincoln, Logan, Okfuskee, Pittsburg, and Oklahoma countiesVulnerable
OregonNoN/AN/A
PennsylvaniaYesWide distribution throughout the stateSecure
Rhode IslandYesWide distribution throughout the stateSecure
South CarolinaYesNorthern SCUnranked
South DakotaYesEastern and southeastern SDApparently Secure
TennesseeYesWide distribution throughout the stateSecure
TexasNoN/AN/A
UtahNoN/AN/A
VermontYesWide distribution throughout the stateSecure
VirginiaYesWide distribution throughout the state, except the eastern coastSecure
WashingtonYesNorthern WASecure
West VirginiaYesWide distribution throughout the stateSecure
WisconsinYesWide distribution throughout the stateSecure
WyomingNoN/AN/A

Are There Groundhogs Outside Of North America?

Are There Groundhogs In Latin America?

Sadly, there are no groundhogs in Latin America, nor any members of the Marmota genus.

Are There Groundhogs In Europe?

Groundhogs do not exist in the wild in Europe, but countries like the UK, France, and Germany all contain relatives of the groundhog.

A common relative is the Alpine Marmot which closely resembles the groundhog and can be found throughout central and southern Europe.

Are There Groundhogs In Asia?

Though groundhogs are not present in the wild in Asia, the continent is home to many of its marmot cousins.There are 8 other species in Asia that share the same genus as the groundhog. These include:

Common NameScientific NameSpecific Location
Black-capped marmotM. camtschaticaEastern Siberia
Bobak marmotM. bobakUkraine, Russia, Kazakhstan
Forest-steppe marmotM. kastschenkoiSouthern Russia
Gray marmotM. baibacinaSiberia
Himalayan marmotM. himalayanaHimalayan Mountains
Long-tailed marmotM. caudataAfghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, southern Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, northern Pakistan, northern India, western China
Menzbier’s marmotM. menzbieriKazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, northern Tajikistan
Tarbagan marmotM. sibiricaSiberia

Are There Groundhogs In Australia?

Australia is yet another continent without any groundhogs in the wild. The closest Australian mammal in the wild is the wombat.While their reproductive systems are quite different, they actually share more than a few features.

Wombats have similar teeth because even though they evolved far away from groundhogs, they had the same selective pressures present. Wombats are also known for burrowing underground to build their homes.

Are There Groundhogs In Africa?

There are no groundhogs in Africa either, but they are closely related to African ground squirrels. These include:

Common NameScientific NameSpecific Location
Barbary ground squirrelAtlantoxerus getulusBarbary Coast, Algeria, Morocco, Canary Islands
Striped ground squirrelEuxerus erythropusMauritania, Morocco, Central African Republic, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Uganda, Eritrea, Kenya, Ethiopia
Cape ground squirrelGeosciurus inaurisBotswana, Lesotho, South Africa, Namibia
Mountain ground squirrelGeosciurus princepsAngola, Namibia
Unstriped ground squirrelXerus rutilusDjibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Eritrea, Somalia

Have Groundhogs Been Introduced To Regions Where They Aren’t Originally From?

Groundhogs have not been intentionally introduced to regions outside of their native habitat, but their range within North America continues to grow every year.

Are Groundhogs Considered An Invasive Species In Some Places?

While groundhogs aren’t technically considered invasive by any United States federal agencies, they are very hard to get rid of once a population is established. Though they only reproduce once a year, they average about 6 pups per litter.

Because they are so avid about burrowing, they can destroy people’s land and gardens. Each groundhog usually has 2 burrows, one for summer and one for winter where they will hibernate.Both of these burrows can have multiple holes that groundhogs use to escape when they feel in danger.

These tunnels can go under fences and foundations of buildings, which will cause the structure to sag and potentially collapse.

Since groundhogs are herbivores and can be found in both urban and rural areas, they are known to decimate people’s gardens.Vegetable gardens act as a buffet of delicious treats for groundhogs that can be easily accessed by burrowing under fences.

Most states within the US consider groundhogs to be nuisance animals.This means that they can be legally removed from a property in a humane way without a permit.

    by
  • Where Can Groundhogs Be Found (US States And Countries) (1)

    Tommy (Author)

    Hi, I'm Tommy! I'm the founder of Floofmania.com. I am an animal enthusiast and self-proclaimed wildlife expert as well as a dog trainer and breeder of the breed Löwchen. Since I was a kid, I’ve been wildly fascinated by animals, both from growing up in a rural area where there were always animals around, but especially from seeing them in the wild.

    View all posts

Where Can Groundhogs Be Found (US States And Countries) (2024)

FAQs

Where Can Groundhogs Be Found (US States And Countries)? ›

Geography: Groundhogs are found from the eastern and central United States northward across Canada and into Alaska. Lifespan: In the wild, groundhogs can live up to six years with two or three being average.

What states are groundhogs found in? ›

Groundhogs are listed as least concern for extinction on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species. They are widespread from central Alaska, across Canada and south through the United States to Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana and Arkansas.

What countries do groundhogs live in? ›

The groundhog (Marmota monax), also known as the woodchuck, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. The groundhog is a lowland creature of North America; it is found through much of the Eastern United States, across Canada and into Alaska.

Are there groundhogs in Europe? ›

The European groundhog (Marmota cuniculum) is a species of marmot native to most of northern Mainland Europe. They resemble a mix between a hoary marmot and a woodchuck and are most common among deciduous and coniferous woodland.

Where is the groundhog found? ›

Groundhogs are widely distributed across North America, ranging as far south as Alabama and as far north as Alaska. They build extensive burrows—anywhere from eight to 66 feet long—with multiple entrances and rooms, including bathrooms.

Are groundhogs only in America? ›

Geography: Groundhogs are found from the eastern and central United States northward across Canada and into Alaska. Lifespan: In the wild, groundhogs can live up to six years with two or three being average. In captivity, groundhogs reportedly live up to 14 years.

Where are the best places to find groundhogs? ›

Groundhogs live in open grasslands, pastures, and woodlands where it is easy to see predators such as man, hawks, or coyotes coming. Groundhogs prefer sandy, gravely soil perhaps because it is easier to dig in.

Is America the only country that does Groundhog Day? ›

Groundhog Day (Pennsylvania German: Grund'sau dåk, Grundsaudaag, Grundsow Dawg, Murmeltiertag; Nova Scotia: Daks Day) is a tradition observed regionally in the United States and Canada on February 2 of every year.

Do groundhogs live in Arizona? ›

Arizona does not have groundhogs as part of its desert ecosystem. However, the state does have prairie dogs, which are grassland squirrels found in the Western U.S. and Mexico. Prairie dogs do not hibernate but may stay underground in bad weather.

Where do groundhogs live in Canada? ›

Prairies, open forests, meadows, and pastures are all ideal sites. Contrary to other species of pest animals, the building of roads, clearing of forests, and planting of fields have actually helped groundhog populations grow.

Are there groundhogs in France? ›

Marmots - France's answer to the American groundhog - are coming back out after a winter hibernating. The mountain-dwelling, 'ground squirrels' - called marmottes in French - are most active during the summer, after spending the cold months underground.

Does Italy have groundhogs? ›

The alpine marmot is found in high numbers in mountainous areas of Italy, Switzerland, France, Germany and Austria with populations scattered in adjacent alpine regions. With their plump, sturdy bodies and behavior there is a striking resemblance to our American groundhog.

Do groundhogs live in Russia? ›

Furthermore, two different kinds of groundhogs live in Russia and the United States. The American groundhog is a forest marmot, while Russia's is a steppe marmot.

Do groundhogs live in South Carolina? ›

Groundhogs are distributed from eastern Alaska across the southern half of Canada to the Atlantic Ocean and south in the eastern half of the United States to Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.

What is the groundhog's name in 2024? ›

Watch Groundhog Day 2024: Punxsutawney Phil declares an early spring. Groundhog Club handler A.J. Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil, the weather-prognosticating groundhog, during the 138th celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa., on Friday.

Which state has the most accurate groundhog? ›

Staten Island Chuck is touted as the world's most accurate prognosticating groundhog and also called for an early spring. He's been accurate more than 80% of the time dating back to the first festivities at the Staten Island Zoo in 1981, according to zoo officials.

Who are the famous American groundhogs where do they live? ›

Punxsutawney Phil (/ˌpʌŋksəˈtɔːni/) is a groundhog residing in Young Township near Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, who is the central figure in Punxsutawney's annual Groundhog Day celebration.

What's the difference between a woodchuck and a groundhog? ›

Woodchuck and groundhog are simply two different names for the same animal. Both terms have been used in English since the 1600s. Preferences around the terms varies by region. In many places, the terms are used interchangeably, but groundhog is increasingly more common.

Is there any benefit to having a groundhog in your yard? ›

Soil Aeration

When digging, groundhogs help aerate soil. Roots, like all other parts of the plant, have to respire, taking in oxygen and emitting carbon dioxide. In unturned soil, roots deplete their limited oxygen while CO2accumulates, making it hard for them to 'breathe.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Eusebia Nader

Last Updated:

Views: 6170

Rating: 5 / 5 (80 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Eusebia Nader

Birthday: 1994-11-11

Address: Apt. 721 977 Ebert Meadows, Jereville, GA 73618-6603

Phone: +2316203969400

Job: International Farming Consultant

Hobby: Reading, Photography, Shooting, Singing, Magic, Kayaking, Mushroom hunting

Introduction: My name is Eusebia Nader, I am a encouraging, brainy, lively, nice, famous, healthy, clever person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.