A Study of the Southern Woodchuck, Marmota monax monax

Abstract

I am grateful to the Wildlife Management Institute which supported this project through a fellowship, and to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for a Research Collaborator's appointment making available the many facilities of the Patuxent Research Refuge. To the Director of the Refuge, Mr. Arnold L. Nelson, and the entire staff go my thanks for their valuable assistance, Work at the Refugo was a part of the Wildlife on Agricultural Lands Project under the capable leadership of Dr. Durward L. Allen and Mr. Oscar Warbach. Words cannot express the appreciation that I owe them for their interest and guidance. To other members of the Refuge staff: Dr. A. C. Martin, Mr. L. M. Llewellyn, Mr. F.M. Uhler, and Dr. J. P. Linduska I am very grateful. To Dr. Warren W. Chase, the chairman of my graduate committee, I am indebted for help and advice throughout the entire course of the program. Other members of the committee, Dean S. T. Dana, Dr. E. C. O'Roke, Dr. S. A. Graham, and Dr. E. T. Hooper graciously contrib. uted their time and advice. Naturalists have known of the woodchuck since at least the early 1700's, bt except for a few life history notes and accounts of the animal in travel journals very little was written about the animal until 1884 when Merriam published his account of the mnammals of the Adirondack region in New York. Seton (1929) and Howell (1915) have furnished information about the groundhog. Hamilton (1934) in his study of the life history of the rufescent woodchuck in New York has made an important contribution to our knowledge of the animal. Other authors, too many to mention here, have added greatly to, an understanding of this important animal by reporting their observations of life history, methods of control, and hibernation.