Lyme wildlife – den competition

Last year I placed a wildlife camera near an apparent animal den that something had burrowed under a pile of sticks – a pile that has accumulated lawn debris for over two decades. It turned out to be the home of Mother Groundhog, who soon gave birth to seven cute little pups. For weeks they romped in front of their den, leading to a delightful video. Not long after, they all disappeared. I never knew what became of the mother or the pups.

So, as spring emerged this year, I set up the camera again to see whether a groundhog (woodchuck) had returned and might be using the den for another litter of pups. Little did I know that, over just two weeks, I’d capture a bit of drama and a total takeover of this snug little den. Check it out!

Author: dfkotz

David Kotz is an outdoor enthusiast, traveller, husband, and father of three. He is also a Professor of Computer Science at Dartmouth College. View all posts by dfkotz