Milltown Mel, a groundhog who has for years offered his weather predictions on Groundhog Day, has died, his handlers say. They say Mel "recently crossed over the rainbow bridge" — and their Mel died just before Groundhog Day, leaving his community in central New Jersey "at a tough time of year, when most of his fellow groundhogs are hibernating." In a Facebook post, the wranglers This year's Groundhog Day festivity in Milltown, New Jersey, is canceled, according to the Facebook post. "We Wranglers are sad to report that Milltown Mel recently crossed over the rainbow bridge New Jersey's beloved weather-predicting groundhog — Milltown Mel — has died. The animal prognosticator passed away on Sunday, days before he was supposed to make his annual Groundhog Day New Jersey’s weather-predicting groundhog, Milltown Mel, has died suddenly — just before his big day. “We wranglers are sad to report that Milltown Mel recently crossed over the rainbow MILLTOWN, New Jersey (WABC) -- One of New Jersey's most beloved weather predicting groundhogs is dead, just days before Groundhog Day. According to a post on Milltown Mel's Facebook page, he Stonewall Jackson, a groundhog who handled the annual weather forecast at the Space Farms Zoo and Museum in Sussex County, died on the night before Groundhog Day in 2016. Thank you for relying on The weather-predicting groundhog died just before his annual big day. On Groundhog Day, tradition holds that if a groundhog sees its shadow, we can expect six more weeks of winter. New Jersey’s prognosticating rodent Milltown Mel saw the shadow of death — just before Groundhog Day. The famed groundhog died Sunday, according to a Facebook page dedicated to the popular marmot. It is with a heavy heart we report that local celebrity Mel the Groundhog (a.k.a. Milltown Mel, named after his hometown of Milltown, New Jersey) has died, per NPR. The news broke just one day It was a somber Groundhog Day in Canada, as Fred la marmotte – the beloved groundhog who predicted weather – was found dead hours before he could take part in his annual tradition. The 6’5” mayor was visiting the zoo for Groundhog Day on Feb. 2, 2014, when he ran into trouble wrangling the anxious rodent. Primary Menu Sections. The groundhog later died. The passing of Elsa, an African Pygmy Hedgehog, comes just three years after another popular rodent from New Jersey — groundhog Milltown Mel — died before his big day in the spotlight. Fans of Groundhog Day will be happy to know that its shining star, Punxsutawney Phil, has not died in 2022. Indeed, the famous animal emerged from his burrow on Feb. 2, 2022, and saw his shadow, predicting another extra six weeks of winter. The second Mel died just before Groundhog Day 2022. The state confiscated his replacement just a few months later. So yet another hollow Feb. 2nd will pass in Milltown without the glory of a The Brief. Woodstock, Illinois, became the filming location for "Groundhog Day" (1993), and the town now celebrates the movie with an annual festival that attracts visitors from around the world. A Groundhog Club handler holds Punxsutawney Phil, the weather-prognosticating groundhog, during the 133rd celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 2, 2019. Every February 2, on Groundhog Day, Willie takes part in the local Wiarton Willie Festival. His role is to predict whether there will be an early spring. Although the original Wiarton Willie died in 1999, the Wiarton groundhog day celebrations continue each year with the original Willie's successors, referred to as "Wee Willie." Next to last scene appears at 1:15:25 in the film. A Kentucky groundhog died on Groundhog Day — just days after predicting an early spring.. Major, a nearly 10-year-old rodent meteorologist living at the Second Chances Wildlife Center
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