Current:Home > reviewsPunxsutawney Phil is a dad! See the 2 groundhog pups welcomed by Phil and his wife, Phyllis -EquityZone
Punxsutawney Phil is a dad! See the 2 groundhog pups welcomed by Phil and his wife, Phyllis
View
Date:2025-04-24 15:55:49
Punxsutawney Phil's life just got a whole lot busier. In addition to predicting the weather, the Pennsylvania-based groundhog now has a new title: father.
Phil and his wife, Phyllis, welcomed two new babies, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club announced on social media Wednesday.
"We have Babies!! The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club is very excited to announce that Phil and Phyllis have given birth to two healthy baby Groundhogs! The babies are currently in with mom and dad at the zoo that is located at the Punxsutawney Memorial Library, and can be viewed thru the viewing window," the club posted on Instagram Wednesday.
"When we went in to feed them their fresh fruits and vegetables, we found Phyllis with two little baby groundhogs. It was very unexpected, we had no idea that she was pregnant," Tom Dunkel, the president of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club's Inner Circle, told CBS Pittsburgh.
The club also posted a video of the baby groundhogs on Instagram Wednesday, which you can watch below.
Did Phil see his shadow this year?
Phil did not see his shadow on Feb. 2 at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, part of the annual Groundhog Day tradition celebrated in the U.S. and Canada. That means, according to the legend, Phil was predicting an early spring.
It was the first time since 2020 that Phil predicted an early spring, and the 21st time since records were kept.
If you look at the data, Punxsutawney Phil has a record of seeing his shadow more often than not. Prior to 2024, the groundhog had seen his shadow 107 times and not seen his shadow 20 times, according to the York Daily Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. There were a few years in the late 1800s where there was no record of his forecast, and 1943 was the only year he did not make an appearance.
How accurate is Punxsutawney Phil?:A question for America's favorite forecaster, Punxsutawney Phil
Punxsutawney Phil goes viral on TikTok
Phil captured the hearts and imagination of TikTok creatives in early February when user @olivesongs11 composed a song based on the lore that Punxsutawney Phil has been alive since 1886, and his longevity comes from an "elixir of life" that he takes a sip of every summer.
According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, Phyllis is unfortunately not offered the same elixir and is not given her own immortality.
@olivesongs11, also known as the singer/songwriter Oliver Richman, composed a song based on this unbelievable idea.
"Nothing's supposed to live forever, Phyliss," a section of Richman's song, written from Phil's point of view goes in a ballad-like style. "Nothing's supposed to last that long. The burrows we made will eventually fade and I'll be left to sing the same old song."
The video went viral, with over 4.8 million views and 500,000 likes.
Other TikTok users jumped on the idea, posting duets on the app singing to Richman's song as their own version of Phyliss or even as the Punxsutawney Mayor.
Contributing: Emily DeLetter, USA TODAY
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.
veryGood! (57491)
Related
- Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
- Prosecutors seek plea hearings for 2 West Virginia jail officers accused in inmate’s death
- Oklahoma man charged with rape, accused of posing as teen to meet underage girls,
- As research grows into how to stop gun violence, one city looks to science for help
- Highlights from Trump’s interview with Time magazine
- Why Alyson Stoner Felt Uncomfortable Kissing Dylan and Cole Sprouse on Zack & Cody
- Sandwich chain Subway will be sold to fast-food investor Roark Capital
- U.S. figure skating team asks to observe Russian skater Kamila Valieva's doping hearing
- Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie return for an 'Encore,' reminisce about 'The Simple Life'
- Chinese man rides jet ski nearly 200 miles in bid to smuggle himself into South Korea, authorities say
Ranking
- Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor
- South Korea runs first civil defense drills in years, citing North Korea's missile provocations
- ESPN's Ryan Clark apologizes to Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa after 'bad joke' stripper comment
- Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl jams with Taylor Hawkins cover band: Watch here
- Meet first time Grammy nominee Charley Crockett
- World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg has decided to retire, AP source says
- Terry Funk, WWE wrestling icon, dies at 79
- AP WAS THERE: A 1953 CIA-led coup in Iran topples prime minister, cements shah’s power
Recommendation
Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie return for an 'Encore,' reminisce about 'The Simple Life'
‘Dune: Part 2' release postponed to 2024 as actors strike lingers
Florida school officials apologize for assembly singling out Black students about low test scores
A woman abandoned her dog at a Pennsylvania airport before flying to a resort, officials say
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
Nvidia riding high on explosive growth in AI
Patricia Clarkson is happy as a 63-year-old single woman without kids: 'A great, sexy' life
Why a weak Ruble is good for Russia's budget but not Putin's image