Move over Punxsutawney Phil

By Clarice Doyle

Finally. Folks west of the Mississippi can have our own version of Groundhog Day.

I don’t mean the Bill Murray-type of Groundhog Day — you know the kind you live over and over — but, a real true to life Groundhog Day that actually makes sense for our neck of the woods.

Haven’t you always wondered how one little groundhog in Pennsylvania could predict the weather for the entire nation?

Well, I have. And, to tell you the truth, it’s ludicrous to think any such thing has much validity atall (sic), especially when we have our own version of the groundhog right here in Oklahoma, as well as Montana, Nebraska, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas.

Punxsutawney Phil, move over.

Your western cousin, Pete the Prairie Dog’s day has finally arrived.

And, it wasn’t some cow patty-pitchin’ Sooner Cowboy that came up with the idea either. It was a group of those tree-huggin’, grass eatin’ environmentalists. Yes, we can thank the Forest Guardians and conservation groups like’ em for instigating an official Prairie Dog Day for us westerners.

If you don’t think this is serious business then check out the actions by city leadership in four cities, starting in New Mexico and Colorado.

Conservation organizations led by Forest Guardians have lobbied and apparently won recognition of the prairie dog for its role in keeping the wildlife community balanced and healthy in places like Santa Fe, N.M., and Albuquerque, N.M., Earlier this year, Boulder, Colo., Mayor Mark Ruzzin and the Lakewood, Colo., City Council endorsed the new and growing tradition.

“Just as the groundhog predicts the duration of winter, the West’s ‘groundhog’ – the prairie dog – foretells the future of a community of wildlife dependent on prairie dogs for food and for the habitat they create,” said Dr. Lauren McCain, with Forest Guardians. “Focusing on prairie dogs is a fantastic way for students to learn about the food chain and how ecosystems work.”

What?

Prairie Dog Day has nothing to do with the weather?

And, here I was thinkin’ we could’ve all been standing around the prairie dog exhibit out at the Mohawk Park Zoo this morning hopin’ Prairie Dog Pete wouldn’t see his shadow.

You know, northeast Oklahoma could stand an early spring. We’ve had our share of wintery disasters this season.

Well, should’ve figured it’d be something. This is exactly what’s to be expected when a bunch of earth lovers are put in charge of makin’ up holidays and assigning non-traditional duties to ground-burrowing varmints.

On second thought, it’s probably better this way.

As I understand it, the prairie dog population over the last decade or so has undergone a sort of wildlife-type ethnic cleansing process at our hands. One of the facts quoted by the Forest Guardians states that prairie dog acreage in the Great Plains has been reduced 98 to 99 percent over the last 20 years endangering the entire Plains ecosystem.

I’m thinkin’ if we start lettin’em predict the weather now, we’ll probably be in for more apocalyptic ice storms, ozone burnouts or global flooding than even Al Gore could imagine. Can’t say I’d blame ’em either.

Maybe it’s better if we just stick to the traditional Groundhog Day for our weather forecast and quit worrying about who gets the credit.

Besides Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow eight times in the last 10 years — for the last six years in a row — and we’re due some good news.

Finally. Folks west of the Mississippi can have our own version of Groundhog Day.

... Did I just read that?



Clarice Doyle writes for Claremore (Okla.) Progress.





Some Groundhog Day Facts

A shadow predicts six more weeks of winter.

No shadow predicts an early spring.

Groundhogs are really woodchucks (Marmota monax) and are members of the squirrel family.

The United States, Canada and parts of Australia celebrate Groundhog Day.

Feb. 2 is a “cross-quarter day, midway between the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox.”

Punxsutawney Phil’s prognostication have been followed for the last 110 years, give or take a few here and there.

Source. www.stormfax.com

Text Only