Woodchuck
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Woodchuck

Marmota monax

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
20–30% · Possible
overall probability at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
179 Verified records at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
April Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The groundhog (Marmota monax), also known as the woodchuck, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. A lowland creature of North America, it is found through much of the Eastern United States, across Canada and into Alaska. It was given its scientific name as Mus monax by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, based on a description of the animal by George Edwards, published in 1743. The groundhog, being a lowland animal, is exceptional among marmots. Other marmots, such as the yellow-bellied and hoary marmots, live in rocky and mountainous areas. Groundhogs are considered one of the most solitary of marmot species. Wikipedia →

20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Woodchuck sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 179 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Eastern Gray Squirrel
LC

Eastern Gray Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Sciurus carolinensis

40–50% · Likely
American Red Squirrel
LC Endemic

American Red Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

30–40% · Possible
Eastern Chipmunk
LC

Eastern Chipmunk

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tamias striatus

10–20% · With luck
Southern Flying Squirrel
LC

Southern Flying Squirrel

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Glaucomys volans

<5% · Rare
Northern Flying Squirrel
LC

Northern Flying Squirrel

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Glaucomys sabrinus

Insufficient data
Fox Squirrel
LC

Fox Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Sciurus niger

Insufficient data
American Beaver
LC

American Beaver

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Castor canadensis

10–20% · With luck
Muskrat
LC

Muskrat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Ondatra zibethicus

5–10% · With luck
Hispid Cotton Rat
LC

Hispid Cotton Rat

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Sigmodon hispidus

<5% · Rare
White-footed Mouse
LC Endemic

White-footed Mouse

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Peromyscus leucopus

<5% · Rare
Eastern Woodrat
LC Endemic

Eastern Woodrat

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Neotoma floridana

<5% · Rare
Gapperrotelmaus

Gapperrotelmaus

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Myodes gapperi

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

10–20
Jan
20–30
Feb
20–30
Mar
30–40
Apr
20–30
May
20–30
Jun
30–40
Jul
30–40
Aug
30–40
Sep
20–30
Oct
20–30
Nov
10–20
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
2 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
20–30%
3 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
4 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
5 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
6 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
7 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
8 Voyageurs National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
9 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
10 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
11 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Woodchuck in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

About 26% of wildlife watchers report a Woodchuck sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 179 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Woodchuck in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

April has the highest sighting rate for Woodchuck in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in our monthly data.

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