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Woodchuck

Marmota monax

Mammal · family Sciuridae · order Rodentia

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Woodchuck
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. ElC assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
36 states[3]
Longest recorded life
14 years[4]

The woodchuck, also called the groundhog, is a rodent in the squirrel family[5][6]. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act[1], and NatureServe lists it as native in 36 US states and territories, from Alaska to Georgia[3].

Conservation status

NatureServe ranks the woodchuck G5 (Secure) worldwide[2] and N5 (Secure) in the United States[7]. These are the lowest-concern ranks on the NatureServe scale. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[8]. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act[1]. State ranks differ, and NatureServe gives it a lower rank in Georgia and Oklahoma than in most other states[9].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[7] N5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[8] Least concern
Total population (NatureServe estimate)[10] 10,000 to >1,000,000 individuals

Where Woodchuck lives

NatureServe lists the woodchuck as native in 36 US states and territories[3]. That list covers much of the East and Midwest, from Maine and New York south to Georgia and Mississippi, west to Kansas, Nebraska and the Dakotas, plus Alaska[3]. On GBIF, the states with the most reports are New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland and Virginia, which reflects where people look and report[11].

Alaska: native, state rank S5AKMaine: native, state rank S5MEWisconsin: native, state rank S5WIVermont: native, state rank S5VTNew Hampshire: native, state rank S5NHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: native, state rank SNRNDMinnesota: native, state rank SNRMNIllinois: native, state rank S5ILMichigan: native, state rank S5MINew York: native, state rank S5NYMassachusetts: native, state rank S5MAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: native, state rank S4SDIowa: native, state rank S5IAIndiana: native, state rank S5INOhio: native, state rank SNROHPennsylvania: native, state rank S5PANew Jersey: native, state rank S5NJConnecticut: native, state rank S5CTRhode Island: native, state rank S5RICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: native, state rank S4NEMissouri: native, state rank S4MOKentucky: native, state rank S5KYWest Virginia: native, state rank S5WVVirginia: native, state rank S5VAMaryland: native, state rank S5MDDelaware: native, state rank S5DEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: native, state rank S4KSArkansas: native, state rank S4ARTennessee: native, state rank S5TNNorth Carolina: native, state rank S5NCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S5SCDistrict of Columbia: native, state rank S5DCOklahoma: native, state rank S3OKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: native, state rank S4MSAlabama: native, state rank S5ALGeorgia: native, state rank S3GAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[9].
Show state ranks (36 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlabamaS5Secure
AlaskaS5Secure
ArkansasS4Apparently Secure
ConnecticutS5Secure
DelawareS5Secure
District of ColumbiaS5Secure
GeorgiaS3Vulnerable
IllinoisS5Secure
IndianaS5Secure
IowaS5Secure
KansasS4Apparently Secure
KentuckyS5Secure
MaineS5Secure
MarylandS5Secure
MassachusettsS5Secure
MichiganS5Secure
MinnesotaSNRNot Ranked
MississippiS4Apparently Secure
MissouriS4Apparently Secure
NebraskaS4Apparently Secure
New HampshireS5Secure
New JerseyS5Secure
New YorkS5Secure
North CarolinaS5Secure
North DakotaSNRNot Ranked
OhioSNRNot Ranked
OklahomaS3Vulnerable
PennsylvaniaS5Secure
Rhode IslandS5Secure
South CarolinaS5Secure
South DakotaS4Apparently Secure
TennesseeS5Secure
VermontS5Secure
VirginiaS5Secure
West VirginiaS5Secure
WisconsinS5Secure

Habitat

Woodchucks use open ground such as meadows, pastures, old fields and orchards, often next to woods[12]. They may use the wooded areas to hibernate, which means a long winter sleep[12]. NatureServe habitat types include hardwood forest, woodland, shrubland, grassland, old field and cropland with hedgerows[13]. They dig large burrow systems, and their young are born in a den inside one[12].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[13]

Size, diet and lifespan

The woodchuck is a plant eater[14]. It feeds on many kinds of herbs, grasses and shrub leaves, and sometimes eats insects and other small animals without backbones[15]. A typical adult is about 82 cm (32 in) long[16]. It weighs about 14 lb[17]. Females have one litter a year of 2 to 6 young, with an average of 4[18], and pregnancy lasts 31 to 32 days[18]. The longest recorded lifespan is 14 years in captivity[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[16] 82 cm (32 in)
Typical adult weight[17] 6.4 kg (14 lb)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 14 years (captivity)
Litter or clutch size[19] 4.5
Gestation or incubation[20] 32 days
Female maturity[21] 548 days (about 1.5 years)
Food habits[14] Herbivore
Active[22] diurnal
Migration[23] non-migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[24]

  • 40% other plant material
  • 30% seeds
  • 30% fruit

When to look for it

Woodchucks are active during the day[25][22], mostly in early morning and late afternoon, and sometimes at night[26]. They hibernate and come out in winter or early spring, earlier in the south and later in the north[26]. They do not migrate[23]. On GBIF, most records fall in April, May and June[27].

January: 122 recordsJanFebruary: 414 recordsFebMarch: 2,205 recordsMarApril: 5,387 recordsAprMay: 6,741 recordsMayJune: 6,468 recordsJunJuly: 5,162 recordsJulAugust: 4,270 recordsAugSeptember: 4,013 recordsSepOctober: 2,165 recordsOctNovember: 635 recordsNovDecember: 150 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[27].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January122
February414
March2,205
April5,387
May6,741
June6,468
July5,162
August4,270
September4,013
October2,165
November635
December150

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Woodchuck as present in 76 park units[28]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

And 52 more park units.

States with the most GBIF observation records: New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia[11]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the woodchuck endangered?
No. It is not listed under the Endangered Species Act[1], and NatureServe ranks it G5 (Secure) worldwide[2].
Is a woodchuck the same as a groundhog?
Yes. Groundhog is another English name NatureServe lists for the woodchuck[6].
What does a woodchuck eat?
It is a plant eater[14] that feeds on herbs, grasses and shrub leaves, and sometimes small animals without backbones[15].
How big is a woodchuck?
A typical adult is about 82 cm (32 in) long[16]. It weighs about 14 lb[17].
How long does a woodchuck live?
The longest recorded lifespan is 14 years in captivity[4]. This is a record, not a typical lifespan.

Facts and sources

  1. Woodchuck is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Woodchuck: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Woodchuck as native in 36 US states and territories: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota,... NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 14 years in captivity. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Woodchuck (Marmota monax) is a mammal in the family Sciuridae, order Rodentia. NatureServe Explorer
  6. Other English names listed by NatureServe for Woodchuck: Groundhog. NatureServe Explorer
  7. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  8. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe state ranks for Woodchuck (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): 10,000 to >1,000,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  11. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Woodchuck: New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  12. NatureServe notes on habitat for Woodchuck. NatureServe Explorer
  13. Habitat types NatureServe records for Woodchuck: Forest - hardwood, Woodland - hardwood, Woodland - conifer, Shrubland/chaparral, Grassland/herbaceous, Old field, Cropland/hedgerow. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Herbivore. NatureServe Explorer
  15. NatureServe notes on food for Woodchuck. NatureServe Explorer
  16. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 82 cm (32 in). NatureServe Explorer
  17. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 6.4 kg (14 lb). NatureServe Explorer
  18. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Woodchuck. NatureServe Explorer
  19. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 4.5. AnAge
  20. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 32 days. AnAge
  21. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 548 days (about 1.5 years). AnAge
  22. Activity time in EltonTraits 1.0: diurnal. EltonTraits 1.0
  23. NatureServe migration category for Woodchuck: non-migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  24. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 40% other plant material, 30% seeds, 30% fruit. EltonTraits 1.0
  25. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Hibernates/aestivates, Diurnal. NatureServe Explorer
  26. NatureServe notes on phenology for Woodchuck. NatureServe Explorer
  27. GBIF observation records of Woodchuck in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  28. NPSpecies park lists recording Woodchuck as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: No machine-readable author provided. ElC assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.