Good question. According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog site, “Phil lives in a zoo that is climate controlled and light regulated. It is connected with the Punxsutawney Memorial Library. You can see Phil every day. There is a viewing window from the outside. So you can see him anytime you visit. He doesn’t go into full hibernation. This is because he lives in a climate-controlled environment. In the wild, groundhogs are signaled when to hibernate by the change in the daylight hours. In Phil’s burrow, the lights are consistent year-round and so is the temperature. He is fed and cared for every day, so he does not have to search for food. In the winter months, he does slow down, eats less, and sleeps more, but he doesn’t hibernate. Each year he gets a physical and check-up. He is required by the USDA rules the GHC is governed by.â€
Good question. According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog site, “Phil lives in a zoo that is climate controlled and light regulated. It is connected with the Punxsutawney Memorial Library. You can see Phil every day. There is a viewing window from the outside. So you can see him anytime you visit. He doesn’t go into full hibernation. This is because he lives in a climate-controlled environment. In the wild, groundhogs are signaled when to hibernate by the change in the daylight hours. In Phil’s burrow, the lights are consistent year-round and so is the temperature. He is fed and cared for every day, so he does not have to search for food. In the winter months, he does slow down, eats less, and sleeps more, but he doesn’t hibernate. Each year he gets a physical and check-up. He is required by the USDA rules the GHC is governed by.â€