Torch, Pompeii, Athos—these could be names from literature or from an atlas, but they are also names that Dr. Chris Maher has given to some of the woodchucks that make their home at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth.

Since 1998, Dr. Chris Maher, a biologist from the University of Southern Maine, has worked on a long term study of woodchuck social behavior, exploring factors that influence how social they are, and whether it’s better to compete or cooperate with kin. Over the years, she has learned that “some juveniles never leave home (just like people!)” she says. “They settle near the place where they’re born. Thus, they live near kin and interact with relatives. They tend to be ‘nicer’ toward kin, although mothers will chase their older daughters if they try to share a territory.”

For her research, she collects DNA samples and marks the Gilsland Farm woodchucks with metal ear tags and paints identifying symbols—created with blonde or black hair dye—on their backs. Woodchucks here come in three different varieties: light brown, dark brown, and all black (melanistic).

Woodchucks, also called groundhogs or whistle pigs, are herbivores that will eat legumes, vegetables, berries and other fruit, and fresh produce—to the frustration of many gardeners. They will also chew on trees to sharpen teeth and mark territories.

Woodchucks are one of the few “true” hibernating species in Maine. As soon as the breeding season is over, the males start to put on weight in preparation for hibernation; females wait until after their young are weaned. Over the summer, their metabolic rate declines. Adults start to hibernate in September; juveniles need time to gain more weight so their hibernation doesn’t start until October. They drop their body temperatures and wait out the cold in the safety and warmth of their underground burrows, where they’ll stay until February or March. Adults mate in spring, pups are born in April or May, and after about four to six weeks are weaned and ready to leave the burrow under their mother’s supervision.

Fully grown adults can grow to be about 20 inches long, with tails of up to six inches. They have powerful legs and heavy claws that help them dig their burrows, which can be anywhere from two to six feet deep and as long and extensive as 40 feet.

Dr. Maher has followed the lineages of many families at Gilsland Farm (and yes, she names them) and says that as the habitat has changed—a gradual shift to more woody plants, and fewer of their favorite foods like clover and dandelion—the population has declined. Disease, predation, and cars have taken their toll, too. She says, “The good news is that we had four litters this year, compared to just two last year. Currently, on the property, I estimate there’s just one adult male [that’s Royce], four adult females, perhaps a few yearlings and this year’s crop of pups. However, we’ll need to see if some of those pups stick around and settle into permanent territories on the property. It’ll be interesting to see what happens next year.” One thing you can count on: Dr. Maher will be there to watch!

–By Nick Lund
Habitat Magazine, Fall 2021