Mother and Daughter

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Normally considered solitary animals, groundhogs do form family bonds. Mable's daughter Maude currently has 4 puppies, and this one (Velcro) still sticks to Maude like glue. It has been an interesting journey for me to watch 3 generations of groundhogs interact. I've discovered a lot of things (that you don't read online) about groundhog behavior.

In the past, all of our groundhogs have been loners and have been quite skitterish. Mable's arrival on the scene changed that...

I love watching tender moments - like above - between the groundhog family members. Not only are Maude and Velcro very bonded, but so are two of the other pups (Lumpy and Blondie) with each other. The fourth pup (Unnamed) seems to be more independent of the family unit. However, it still will sleep in the woodpile with everyone else and will come running when Maude sounds the alarm.

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Special Note: Look for a Hallmark Mother's Day greeting card with this image next year.