Woodchuck Panting or Whistling?

Here's a picture I got of a Woodchuck (aka Groundhog aka Whistle Pig) back in June.

My recollection is that it was a hot day so my first impression was that the Woodchuck was panting to shed some internal heat. Apparently that's not the explanation; squirrels (Woodchucks are categorized as ground squirrels) don't pant or sweat. Ears and tails help rodents cool off on hot days instead. And in something similar to sweat, they will sometimes lick themselves and cool off as the water evaporates.

Another possibility is that maybe the Woodchuck was whistling or barking. I think I was quite a way away, and the barking in particular sounds a little like a soft grunt; I'm not sure I would have heard it distinctly enough to have known it was coming from the Woodchuck.

Is it possible that Woodchucks get gobsmacked?

June 15, 2022 at Sourland Mountain Preserve
Photo 210217929, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


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