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as "Shubenacadie Sam" since the practice began in Nova Scotia, as groundhogs usually live 10-15 years in captivity. In 2021, a 7-year-old female groundhog, "Samantha", assumed the prediction duties. Park employees have served as the caretaker for
Shubenacadie Sam and the park's groundhogs for over 20 years. They provide breakfast for the groundhog, usually yogurt and melon. Staff also read to the groundhog who has been designated an advocate for Family Literacy Day. Shubenacadie Sam inspired a children's book in 2022. Pages of the book are displayed around the park offering visitors a groundhog tour of the park. The ceremony was held virtually by web streaming during the
74:
20:
93:
for badger) after the belief that badgers could predict the coming of spring on
February 2. The Shubenacadie Sam tradition at the wildlife park began about 1987 and differs from most other famous groundhogs as he is not woken from hibernation for Groundhog Day. By 2018, four ground hogs had served
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65:. The wildlife park, usually only open on weekends in the winter, changes its seasonal hours to open especially for the annual ritual. Shubenacadie Sam predicted an early spring in 2024.
862:
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118:
Shubenacadie Sam's prediction, like all weather-predicting groundhogs, bears little relation to seasonal weather trends as it is based on random location conditions, according to
286:
While
Shubenacadie offers the earliest prediction every year, it is one of many towns throughout North America known for their winter-predicting groundhogs. The most famous is
501:
390:
The dialect of
Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia: a study of the English of the county, with reference to its sources, preservation of relics, and vestiges of bilingualism
303:
57:
The prediction ceremony draws an early-morning festive crowd of about 200 families and visitors to the wildlife park, sometimes heralded by a groundhog mascot,
770:âGroundhog Day 2012: Wiarton Willie, Shubenacadie Sam predict early spring; Punxsutawney Phil calls for more winterâ ââNational Postââ, February 2, 2012
606:
781:
388:
122:
Cindy Day. Shubenacadie Sam has an accuracy rate of about 45%, according to Day, compared to 39% for
Punxsutawney Phil and 25% for Wiarton Willie.
927:
636:
732:
1057:
576:
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733:"Groundhog Day 2014: Wiarton Willie, Punxsutawney Phil, Shubenacadie Sam Make Their Forecastsâ ââHuffington Post Canadaââ February 2, 2014
437:
721:
591:
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Tina Comeau, "Lucy the
Lobster does not see her shadow on Groundhog Day morning in a new South Shore N.S. twist on an old tradition",
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356:
458:
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341:
310:, although "Two Rivers Tunnel" is awakened for its prediction just after 11 am instead of 8 am. Promoters of a lobster festival in
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created a "Lucy the
Lobster" ritual in 2018 with a lobster that crawled from the water to a lobster trap on Groundhog Day.
331:"Shubenacadie Sam to Make Annual Prediction" Nova Scotia Government Dept. of Natural Resources Press Release Jan. 28, 2010
710:
110:
reporter Brett Ruskin when the reporter grabbed the groundhog to stop Sam from climbing out of the groundhog enclosure.
676:
1042:
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851:
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840:
621:
291:
35:
46:, Sam's shadow is closely observed at 08:00 AST to make the traditional prediction whether there will be an early
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820:"No surprises as Wiarton Willy and pals predict more winter". London Free Press (London, ON). February 2, 2009.
307:
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73:
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394:
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759:âShubenacadie Sam sees shadow, says embrace winterâ ââChronicle Heraldââ Truro Bureau, February 2, 2013
502:
Ian
Fairclough, "No shadow of a doubt: Shubenacadie Sam pokes head into storm, predicts early spring"
546:
982:
607:"Nova Scotiaâs groundhog Shubenacadie Sam sees shadow, predicts six more weeks of wintry weather",
82:
863:"Six more weeks of winter: Cape Breton's Two Rivers Tunnel makes annual Groundhog Day prediction"
700:
Cassie
Williams, "Shubenacadie Sam says it's going to be an early spring" ââCBCââ February 2, 2017
51:
972:
427:
287:
95:
577:
Kate
Bueckert, "Wiarton Willie, Shubenacadie Sam and Fred la marmotte predict early spring",
417:
372:
Kate Bueckert, "Wiarton Willie, Shubenacadie Sam and Fred la marmotte predict early spring",
962:
830:âNo shadow for Wiarton Willie, Shubenacadie Sam - early end to Canadian winterâ Feb. 2, 2008
517:
Carrie Stanton, "Review: Groundhog Night: Shubenacadie Samâs Shadow by Doretta Groenendyk",
47:
466:
987:
423:
302:, Canada. Sam shares the Nova Scotia prediction every year with "Two Rivers Tunnel" in
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1021:
1006:
957:
936:
711:"Shubenacadie Sam doesn't see shadow, predicts early spring" ââCBCââ February 2, 2016
119:
43:
841:âGroundhogs Sam, Willie and Phil say spring is nearâ â âCTV Newsâ â February 2, 2007
592:
Natalie Lombard, "Shubenacadie Sam sees shadow, predicts six more weeks of winter",
532:
Natalie Lombard, "Shubenacadie Sam sees shadow, predicts six more weeks of winter",
19:
952:
896:
330:
62:
810:âShubenacadie Sam sees shadowâ, â âChronicle Herald Liveâ â, February 2, 2010
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31:
722:"Shubenacadie Sam predicts 6 more weeks of winterâ ââCBCââ February 2, 2015
809:
107:
58:
299:
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Lynn Curwin, "Shubenacadie Sam predicts another six weeks of winter",
998:
72:
18:
54:, Sam makes the first Groundhog Day prediction in North America.
905:
342:
Raissa Tetanish, "Shubenacadie Sam gearing up for his big day",
909:
653:"Keep your parkas handy. Shubenacadie Sam predicts long winter"
622:
Allan April, "Shubenacadie Sam calls for an early Spring",
357:
Nicole Munro, "Shubenacadie Sam Predicts an Early Spring",
77:
Subenacadie Sam and mascot make the winter prediction, 2024
23:
Shubenacadie Sam greets admirers after her 2024 prediction.
562:
Tom Ayers, "Shubenacadie Sam unlikely to see his shadow",
81:
Nova Scotian Groundhog Day traditions arrived with German
852:"Shubie Sam says no more winterâ, CBC News, Feb. 2, 2006
547:"Groundhog Day 2018: Mixed signals and a near escape",
294:, United States. The most famous Canadian groundhog is
89:
where the day was known as "Daks Day" (from the German
98:
in 2021 and 2022 but live gatherings resumed in 2023.
459:""N.S. Groundhog Dodges Hiberation in Heated House",
744:"Groundhog Day predictions mixed for early spring",
996:
943:
422:(New, revised, and expanded ed.), Hantsport:
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8:
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782:""Shubenacadie Sam Does Not See Shadow",
677:"Shubenacadie Sam predicts early spring"
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899:Shubenacadie Provincial Wildlife Park
7:
306:at the Two Rivers Wildlife Park in
440:from the original on August 2, 2020
487:Jacon Boon, "Shubenacadie sham!",
14:
85:in the 1750s who settled around
16:Groundhog in Nova Scotia, Canada
312:Barrington Passage, Nova Scotia
106:In 2018, Sam bit the finger of
897:Shubenacadie Sam "Groundhog",
1:
361:, Saltwire News, Feb. 2, 2023
83:Foreign Protestant immigrants
1058:Individual animals in Canada
419:The South Shore Phrase Book
1079:
416:Poteet, Lewis J. (2004) ,
292:Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania
36:Shubenacadie Wildlife Park
1048:Hants County, Nova Scotia
40:Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia
880:Yarmouth County Vanguard
308:Mira River, Nova Scotia
50:. Due to Nova Scotia's
42:. Every February 2, on
1033:Culture of Nova Scotia
968:General Beauregard Lee
395:University of Michigan
387:Wilson, Harry (1959).
78:
24:
1038:Individual groundhogs
76:
22:
639:The Chronicle Herald
983:Staten Island Chuck
566:, January 31, 2018a
521:, December 15, 2022
1043:Holiday characters
882:, February 2, 2018
641:, February 2, 2020
626:, February 2, 2021
609:The Globe and Mail
551:, February 2, 2018
506:, February 2, 2021
491:, February 1, 2018
346:, February 1, 2016
79:
52:Atlantic Time Zone
25:
1028:Culture of Canada
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973:Punxsutawney Phil
594:CTV News Atlantic
534:CTV News Atlantic
288:Punxsutawney Phil
279:
278:
96:COVID-19 pandemic
34:who lives at the
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1053:Oracular animals
978:Shubenacadie Sam
963:Fred la marmotte
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275:"Early Spring"
267:"Early spring"
259:"Early Spring"
235:"Early spring"
227:"Early spring"
211:âEarly Spring"
195:"Early Spring"
187:"Early Spring"
179:"Early Spring"
155:"Early Spring"
131:"Early Spring"
116:
104:
102:Biting incident
71:
38:in the town of
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393:(PhD thesis).
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251:"Long winter"
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147:"Long Winter"
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30:is a Canadian
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794:. Retrieved
790:the original
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748:Feb. 2, 2014
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467:the original
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444:December 26,
442:, retrieved
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397:. p. 52
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401:February 3,
304:Cape Breton
114:Predictions
1022:Categories
945:Groundhogs
796:2014-02-03
686:2018-02-02
662:2019-02-02
473:2010-02-03
282:Background
63:town crier
489:The Coast
87:Lunenburg
32:groundhog
746:CBC News
624:CTV News
549:CBC News
438:archived
59:bagpiper
999:marmots
901:website
300:Ontario
69:History
997:Other
657:CBC.ca
430:
48:spring
318:Notes
176:2018
168:2019
160:2020
152:2021
144:2022
136:2023
128:2024
91:dachs
446:2017
428:ISBN
403:2024
272:2006
264:2007
256:2008
248:2009
240:2010
232:2011
224:2012
216:2013
208:2014
200:2015
192:2016
184:2017
61:and
579:CBC
374:CBC
298:in
290:of
108:CBC
1024::
679:.
655:.
436:,
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915:v
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689:.
665:.
476:.
405:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
