Current:Home > ContactPunxsutawney Phil is a dad! See the 2 groundhog pups welcomed by Phil and his wife, Phyllis -Infinite Edge Capital
Punxsutawney Phil is a dad! See the 2 groundhog pups welcomed by Phil and his wife, Phyllis
View
Date:2025-04-12 16:54:06
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! (9194)
Related
- Rolling Loud 2024: Lineup, how to stream the world's largest hip hop music festival
- US judge rejects challenge to Washington state law that could hold gun makers liable for shootings
- Who is Katie Britt, the senator who delivered the Republican State of the Union response?
- Veteran Miami prosecutor quits after judge’s rebuke over conjugal visits for jailhouse informants
- Could Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft reunite? Maybe in Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class
- 'Sister Wives' stars Christine and Meri pay tribute to Garrison Brown, dead at 25
- Worst NFL trade ever? Here's where Russell Wilson swap, other disastrous deals went wrong
- Is TikTok getting shut down? Congress flooded with angry calls over possible US ban
- Average rate on 30
- Authorities investigate oily sheen off Southern California coast
Ranking
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- Duchess Meghan talks inaccurate portrayals of women on screen, praises 'incredible' Harry
- Michigan residents urged not to pick up debris from explosive vaping supplies fire that killed 1
- California school district changes gender-identity policy after being sued by state
- Why Sean "Diddy" Combs Is Being Given a Laptop in Jail Amid Witness Intimidation Fears
- Homeowners in these 10 states are seeing the biggest gains in home equity
- Some fans at frigid Chiefs playoff game underwent amputations, hospital confirms
- Ulta Beauty’s Semi-Annual Beauty Event Kicks Off with 1-Day Deals – 50% off Estee Lauder, Fenty & More
Recommendation
Person accused of accosting Rep. Nancy Mace at Capitol pleads not guilty to assault charge
Naomi Ruth Barber King, civil rights activist and sister-in-law to MLK Jr., dead at 92
The total solar eclipse is one month away on April 8: Here's everything to know about it
Alabama woman set for a plea hearing months after police say she faked her own kidnapping
Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
California school district changes gender-identity policy after being sued by state
A bill that could lead to a nation-wide TikTok ban is gaining momentum. Here’s what to know
Russell Wilson visits with Steelers, meets with Giants ahead of NFL free agency, per reports