Editing Groundhog (section)

===Natural predators===
[[File:Woodchuck up a tree.jpg|thumb|right|Groundhogs can climb trees to escape predators.]]
Wild predators of adult groundhogs in most of eastern [[North America]] include [[coyotes]], [[American badger|badgers]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ontariobadgers.org/biology.html|title=Badger Biology (Ontario Badgers)|website=www.ontariobadgers.org|access-date=July 22, 2019|archive-date=July 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190722230221/http://www.ontariobadgers.org/biology.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[bobcat]]s, and [[foxes]] (largely [[red fox]]). Many of these predators are successful stealth stalkers that catch groundhogs by surprise before they can escape to their burrows; badgers likely hunt them by digging them out from their burrows. Coyotes in particular are sizable enough to overpower any groundhog with the latter being the third most significant prey species per a statewide study in [[Pennsylvania]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Witmer, G. W. |last2=Pipas, M. J. |last3=Hayden, A. |year=1995 |title=Some observations on coyote food habits in Pennsylvania |journal=Journal of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science |volume=69 |issue=2 |pages=77–80 |jstor=44149042}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Gipson|first=P. S.|year=1974|title=Food habits of coyotes in Arkansas|journal=The Journal of Wildlife Management|volume=38|issue=4|pages=848–853|doi=10.2307/3800055 |jstor=3800055 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Progulske|first=D. R.|year=1955|title=Game animals utilized as food by the bobcat in the southern Appalachians|journal=The Journal of Wildlife Management|volume=19|issue=2|pages=249–253|doi=10.2307/3796859 |jstor=3796859 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Rose|first1=C.|last2=Prange|first2=S.|year=2015|title=Diet of the recovering Ohio bobcat (''Lynx rufus'') with a consideration of two subpopulations|journal=The American Midland Naturalist|volume=173|issue=2|pages=305–318|doi=10.1674/amid-173-02-305-317.1 |s2cid=86285187 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Hockman|first1=J. G.|last2=Chapman|first2=J. A.|year=1983|title=Comparative feeding habits of red foxes (''Vulpes vulpes'') and gray foxes (''Urocyon cinereoargenteus'') in Maryland|journal=American Midland Naturalist|volume=110 |issue=2 |pages=276–285|doi=10.2307/2425269 |jstor=2425269 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Wildlife of Pennsylvania|author1=Charles Fergus|author2=Amelia Hansen|year=2000 |page=43|publisher=Stackpole Books |isbn=978-0811728997}}</ref>

Large predators such as [[Wolf|gray wolf]] and [[eastern cougar]] are likely [[Extirpation|extirpated]] in the east but still may hunt groundhogs on occasion in [[Canada]].<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Voigt, D. R.|author2=Kolenosky, G. B.|author3=Pimlott, D. H.|year=1976|title=Changes in summer foods of wolves in central Ontario|journal=The Journal of Wildlife Management|volume=40|issue=4|pages=663–668|doi=10.2307/3800561 |jstor=3800561 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|editor1=Bolgiano, C.|editor2=Roberts, J.|year=2005|title=The Eastern Cougar: Historic Accounts, Scientific Investigations, and New Evidence|publisher=Stackpole Books}}</ref> [[Golden eagle]]s can also prey on adult groundhogs, but seldom occur in the same range or in the same habitats as this marmot. Likewise, [[great horned owl]]s can reportedly, per Bent (1938), prey upon groundhogs but rarely do so, given the temporal differences in their behaviors.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Olendorff|first=R. R.|year=1976|title=The food habits of North American golden eagles|journal=American Midland Naturalist|volume=95 |issue=1 |pages=231–236|doi=10.2307/2424254 |jstor=2424254 }}</ref><ref name= Bent>{{cite journal|last=Bent|first=A. C.|year=1938|title=Life histories of North American birds of prey, Part 2|journal=U.S. National Museum Bulletin|volume=170|pages=295–357}}</ref>

Young groundhogs (usually those less than a couple months in age) may also be taken by the [[American mink]], and perhaps other small [[mustelid]]s, [[cat]]s, [[timber rattlesnake]]s, and [[hawks]]. [[Red-tailed hawk]]s can take groundhogs at least of up to the size of yearling juveniles, and [[northern goshawk]]s can take them up to perhaps weak emergent-adult groundhogs in the Spring.<ref name= Kwiecinski/><ref name= DC/><ref>{{cite journal|author1=Becker, T. E.|author2=Smith, D. G.|author3=Bosakowski, T.|year=2006|title=Habitat, food habits, and productivity of northern goshawks nesting in Connecticut|journal=Studies in Avian Biology|volume=31|pages=119–125 |url=https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/SAB_031_2006%20P119-125_Habitat,%20Food%20Habits,%20and%20Productivity%20of%20Northern%20Goshawks%20Nesting%20in%20Connecticut_Trevor%20E.%20Becker,%20Dwight%20G.%20Smith,%20Thomas%20Bosakowski.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author1=Aschemeier, L. M.|author2=Maher, C. R.|year=2011|title=Eavesdropping of woodchucks (Marmota monax) and eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus) on heterospecific alarm calls|journal=Journal of Mammalogy|volume=92|issue=3|pages=493–499|doi=10.1644/09-MAMM-A-322.1|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=George|first=W. G.|year=1974|title=Domestic cats as predators and factors in winter shortages of raptor prey|journal=The Wilson Bulletin|volume=86 |issue=4 |pages=384–396 |jstor=4160538 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4160538}}</ref>

Beyond their large size, groundhogs have several successful anti-predator behaviors, usually retreating to the safety of their burrow which most predators will not attempt to enter, but also being ready to defend themselves with their sharp claws and large incisors. They can also scale trees to escape a threat.<ref name="barbour"/>{{rp|142–143}}<ref>{{cite book|last1=Beer|first1=Amy-Jane|last2=Morris|first2=Pat|year=2004|title=Encyclopedia of North American Mammals: An Essential Guide to Mammals of North America|publisher=Thunder Bay Press|isbn=978-1-59223-191-1 |ol=9406434M}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=January 2023}}<ref name="watson">{{cite thesis|last=Watson|first=Elizabeth L.|year=2010|title=Effects of urbanization on survival rates, anti-predator behavior, and movements of woodchucks (Marmota monax)|publisher=University of Illinois |hdl=2142/14642 |url=https://hdl.handle.net/2142/14642}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=January 2023}}