Shubenacadie Sam Ready For Groundhog Day

Nova Scotians are invited to celebrate Groundhog Day virtually by watching Shubenacadie Sam’s annual prediction on social media.

Shubenacadie Sam will emerge from her burrow at Shubenacadie Wildlife Park Wednesday, February 2, at 8 a.m, to make her annual spring weather prediction. Sam’s forecast will be streamed on the wildlife park’s Facebook page.

“Nova Scotians love talking about the weather and Groundhog Day celebrates the important role weather plays in our lives and culture,” said Natural Resources and Renewables Minister Tory Rushton. “Because of our geography, Nova Scotians will be the first to know if Shubenacadie Sam predicts an early spring or six more weeks of winter.”

Folklore says winter will last for six more weeks if the groundhog sees its shadow, while no shadow is a sign of an early spring.

The wildlife park will also celebrate World Wetlands Day on February 2. Wetlands provide important habitats for hundreds of wildlife species, including species at risk. They also mitigate the effects of climate change by absorbing carbon and buffering coastal communities from rises in sea level and storm surges.

Shubenacadie Wildlife Park is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends during the winter. It is closed on February 2. There will be no public events for Groundhog Day at the park this year.

Quick Facts:

• Shubenacadie Sam will be the first groundhog to make a prediction, about an hour before other groundhogs in Ontario and the eastern United States

Additional Resources:

Shubenacadie Wildlife Park on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShubenacadieWildlifePark

Shubenacadie Sam on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShubenacadieSam

Shubenacadie Wildlife Park website: http://wildlifepark.novascotia.ca

Historical Groundhog Day predictions: https://data.novascotia.ca/Lands-Forests-and-Wildlife/Shubenacadie-Wildlife-Park-Groundhog-Day-Predictio/4y37-h2yu

World Wetlands Day: https://www.worldwetlandsday.org/