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 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 Major the groundhog lived at Second Chances Wildlife Center in Bullitt County after he was rescued as a baby. Sadly, the center reports Major died overnight at 10 years old. The Second Chances Wildlife Center shared on social media that their beloved weather-predicting groundhog, Major, died on Groundhog Day. "Sadly, and most ironically, Major passed away peacefully A groundhog at a Kentucky wildlife rehabilitation center died on Groundhog Day, Friday, only a few days after predicting an early spring. Major the groundhog was 10 years old and lived at the 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 The Groundhog Day event in Val-d'Espoir, Quebec in eastern Canada began Thursday morning with music and dancing, Blondin believes Fred died in hibernation late last year. Milltown Mel, one of New Jersey's weather-predicting groundhogs, died Sunday — just days before the big annual ceremony. His death was announced on the groundhog's official Facebook page. It 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 Blondin discovered his furry friend had died when he went to wake him from hibernation to get him ready for the Groundhog Day ritual. For the past 14 years, Fred would wake up every Feb. 2 to let 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. 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 If it seems like you're heard this story of a New Jersey groundhog dying before, that's not just a Groundhog Day effect: in 2016, Sussex County's prognosticator, Stonewall Jackson, died on Groundhog Eve, according to NJ.com. Mel spent last year's Groundhog Day in quarantine, due to the pandemic. But that didn't stop him from predicting an early 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. A weather-predicting groundhog, Milltown Mel, has died just days before he was meant to particpate in Groundhog Day. On 2 February, Milltown Mel, from New Jersey, was set to participate in the big A little-known fact about Groundhog Day is that most states have their own groundhog predicters, primarily in state wildlife rescue organizations. For instance, North Carolina boasts not one but two celebrity groundhogs, Tater and Yammy. Sadly, Kentucky’s official weather predicting groundhog, a nearly 10-year-old male named Major died after 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. Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has spoken out about the tragic day he dropped Staten Island’s beloved groundhog on its head — 10 years later. New Jersey has long had its own groundhog - and celebrated its very own Groundhog Day. Like everything else, we went our own way! But back in 2021, that Jersey groundhog - Milltown Mel, um, well, died. It is now 2025 and ol' Mel is still dead. The problem is - there was no backup for Mel. No reserve groundhog, no backup groundhog.
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