Stumptown Fil predicts an early spring in Oregon

(FEBRUARY 4, 2022) Groundhog Day is a popular North American tradition observed in the United States and Canada on February 2. It comes from a superstition. The superstition says that if a groundhog leaves its burrow (its home in the ground) and sees its shadow, then it will return to its burrow, and winter will go on for six more weeks. If the groundhog does not see its shadow, then spring will arrive early.

Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania has perhaps the most famous celebration of Groundhog Day. The groundhog's name is Punxsutawney Phil. Many people enjoy hearing about Phil's prediction on the news. This year, the groundhog saw its shadow. Therefore, the prediction is for six more weeks of winter.

The Oregon Zoo in Portland, however, has its own animal weather forecaster. But it's not a groundhog. It's a 10-year-old beaver named Stumptown Fil. And Stumptown Fil disagrees with Pennsylvania's Phil. Instead of looking for its shadow, the beaver chose between two logs with snacks on top. Then he motioned toward a rolled-up note that said "early spring."

Neither the groundhog nor the beaver has been very accurate. Punxsutawney Phil has been correct less than 50% of the time. Stumptown Fil started only two years ago, but his record has been similar.

Interestingly, "Stumptown" is a nickname for the city of Portland. "Fil" is short for "Filbert," which is another name for "hazelnut," the state nut. But why does Portland follow a beaver and not a groundhog? The answer is that beavers are native to Oregon. In fact, Oregon even has a beaver on its state flag.

“Though Oregon is known for its beaver population, that hasn’t always been the case. In the 19th century, American beavers were hunted and trapped for their fur; by about 1900, they were almost gone from many of their original habitats,” said a representative of the Oregon Zoo. “Pollution and habitat loss also affected their survival. In the last 100 years, thanks to re-establishment programs and hunting regulations, beavers have made a strong comeback. They are now listed as a species of least concern by the International Union of Conservation of Nature.”