♫Wild Kratts!♫ CHRIS: We're here in North America.

MARTIN: Out in the eastern woodlands.

In this habitat, there can be a mix of forests and open meadows.

It's us, the Kratt brothers!

I'm Chris.

I'm Martin, and we're out here looking for a creature that goes by many different names, depending upon where in the eastern woodlands you live.

In some places, they call this animal a woodchuck.

Some people like to go with "whistle pig."

And then, other people like to call it a...

BOTH: A groundhog!

Now, this is one pretty cute creature.

Have you ever seen groundhogs-- Uh, whistle pigs.

Or woodchucks grazing along the side of the road?

These animals have no problem living right around humans, and you might see that one has dug a burrow and moved right into your own backyard.

So, groundhogs are pretty common animals, but what kind of Creature Powers do they have?

How about grazing teeth?

She's mowing down this clover pretty well.

In fact, a groundhog spends about seven hours a day eating.

But grazing teeth, a creature power?

MARTIN: Hey!

She's climbing!

Let's see those climbing powers.

Not too fast.

Not exactly like her cousin, the squirrel.

I don't think climbing is a groundhog's creature power.

CHRIS: Hey, she found something to eat!

Wait!

Eating to get ready for hibernation!

Sleeping through the winter, going through months without eating a thing, is a pretty amazing power.

We've got to find out more.

What hidden powers does this round furry creature have?

Imagine if we could have woodchuck... Whistle pig... Groundhog powers.

BOTH: What if?

♫On adventure with the coolest creatures♫ ♫From the oceans to the trees♫ ♫The Brothers Kratt are going places you never get to see♫ ♫Hanging with their creature friends♫ ♫Get ready, it's the hour♫ ♫We're gonna save some animals today with♫ ♫Creature Power♫ ♫Gonna go wild, Wild Kratts♫ ♫Gonna go wild, wild, Wild Kratts♫ ♫Gonna go wild, Wild Kratts♫ ♫Gonna go wild, wild, wild♫ ♫Cheetah speed and lizard glide♫ ♫Falcon flight and lion pride♫ ♫Gonna go wild, Wild Kratts♫ ♫Gonna go wild, wild, Wild Kratts♫ ♫Gonna go wild, Wild Kratts♫ ♫Gonna go wild, wild, Wild Kratts♫ ♫Go wild, wild, Wild Kratts♫ Oof!

Nice boot, Koki.

One of my favorite parts of spring!

Getting back to playing soccer again.

Me too!

And I like when the robins show up!

(Jimmy Z whistling) (Chirping) Uh, that's a candy worm.

Our adventure room could use a little spring-cleaning.

Ah!

(Objects crashing) Oof!

Ow!

Oh!

Ugh!

(Groaning) I have to get the kayaks ready for the river, the mountain bikes ready for the trails, and the tents ready for camping.

(Aviva yawning) I love taking a nap outside on the first warm day of spring.

(Rustling) (Sniffing) (Giggling) Oh!

Who are you?

(Sniffing) You are so cute, whoever you are.

(Wind blowing) I love spring!

Warm air, green grass, flowers like buttercups and dandelions and fluffy, cute, little baby animals.

Is that what you want your name to be?

Dandelion?

(Aviva giggling) Dandelion, it is.

Hello, everyone, hope you're enjoying this gorgeous spring day.

And guess what?

I've been inspired by something wonderful, and I'm going to make a new Creature Power Suit.

What?

Oof!

Really?

(Crashing) A new Creature Power Suit?!

Okay, so what Creature Powers do you have in mind, Aviva?

Yeah, where is this super-powered mystery creature?

Uh, he's right in front of you.

BOTH: Huh?

Hmm.

MARTIN:Oh, you.

You mean, a groundhog?

And groundhog powers?

I mean, he is impossibly cute, but besides cutting a really nice lawn, what kind of super-cool power does a groundhog have?

What are you talking about?

He's perfect.

Don't get us wrong.

We love groundhogs.

I'm just not sure if a groundhog is a creature that really inspires a Creature Power Suit.

Well, I'm sure groundhogs have some hidden superpower that is so amazing.

Don't you have an amazing superpower?

Yes, you do.

Yes, you do!

Well, we could try!

Aviva is really into groundhogs.

Yeah, and who knows?

Maybe... possibly... somehow, there is some cool ability to make a groundhog power suit.

(Sniffing) (Chittering) MARTIN: That must be Dandelion's mom!

Okay, let's get creature adventuring.

Weight, 8 pounds.

Body temperature, 98 degrees.

Just like us.

Heartbeat, 90 beats per minute.

And she eats and eats and eats, ha ha!

Groundhogs eat so much grass each day, enough to fill up a sink, but I don't think that's a talent that makes for a good Creature Power Suit.

AVIVA: Okay, thanks, Chris.

Those groundhog basics are just what I need to get a groundhog Power Suit started.

Have a nice breakfast, Dandelion!

I'll be back soon.

Oh, it is really cool how a groundhog digs a burrow into a field, and then grazes out from the burrow entrance.

A groundhog rarely eats grass more than ten feet from its burrow, so whenever she senses a predator... she can quickly escape to the safety of her burrow!

The burrow, ha!

Hey, that's something.

Groundhogs are great diggers.

See, the burrow is usually dug under a pile of rocks or tree roots.

There's a drop down right after the entrance, then a long tunnel that opens up to a chamber.

There can also be a special hibernation chamber, and other escape entrances and exits.

And a groundhog does all that digging herself.

I mean, that's pretty impressive.

Yeah, I don't know if it's enough to make a great Creature Power Suit, but at least it's something for Aviva to start with.

Hey, Aviva, we've got something here.

Groundhogs are great diggers.

A groundhog will dig a burrow complex that looks something like this.

And a single groundhog can dig the whole thing in just a couple days.

Perfecto, that's great!

So, what else do they do?

What other special abilities and talents?

Give me more groundhog info and I'll have something ready for you to test out soon.

You wear it.

No way, you wear it.

Uh, Aviva, because you're so excited about groundhogs and can't wait to see groundhog powers, making one groundhog Power Suit will give Chris the chance to test the Power Suits out right away!

That's a great idea, Martin, but not really fair to you.

You two should flip for it, and winner is the lucky one who gets to test the groundhog Power Suit.

(Laughing nervously) Even though groundhogs are super-awesome animals, I really don't want to wear a groundhog Power Suit.

Neither do I. AVIVA: What?!

"Want to"?

You guys don't want groundhog powers?

Well, Dandelion and I are insulted.

But if you don't want to test groundhog powers, then we will!

Activate Creature Powers!

Hmm, it's a little big and baggy.

Aww, but Dandelion likes it, so I do too.

This is going to be the best adventure yet.

Hmm, I can't think of any powers that groundhogs have that you could get in trouble with.

Ah, what could go wrong?

Yeah.

They pretty much just eat and dig.

Digging!

That's what I feel like doing.

This earth is so cool.

It feels good and it's so easy to move.

I love digging!

So how far do I go before I dig out the chamber?

About 20 feet.

AVIVA: Thanks.

You're welcome-- ugh!

Ptoo!

Ha, ha, ha!

(Chris coughing) Ugh!

(Muffled talking) Ha, ha, ha!

Ugh!

Whoa!

(Both coughing) MARTIN: Coyote!

Mudmouth to Groundhogger, Mudmouth to Groundhogger.

Come in, Groundhogger.

Groundhogger here!

Aviva, cut it on the digging.

You've got a visitor.

CHRIS: Of course!

The coyote is checking out the groundhog hole.

Coyotes will use the holes groundhogs have started and dig them bigger, expanding them to make them into their own burrows.

Yeah, and because groundhogs are the best diggers in North America and dig so many holes, they get holes started for most animals that live in burrows.

Hello!

I guess he's never seen a giant groundhog before.

You know, Aviva, maybe you're right about groundhog powers.

Digging is always a cool Creature Power, and groundhogs put it to good use.

Yeah, for themselves and for the many other animals who benefit by using their burrows.

So, what's next, Aviva?

BOTH: Aviva?

Wow.

Digging makes you so hungry.

(Stomach growling) Whoa!

I never knew dandelion salad tasted so good!

(Chomping loudly) Uh-oh.

Ahh!

Every new Creature Power Suit needs a mission.

Any ideas, animal experts?

Hmm, that's not a bad idea.

Maybe if we had a good mission, we can uncover some hidden creature powers of the groundhog.

Hey, have you ever heard of Groundhog Day?

You know, when the groundhogs come out of their burrows near the end of winter?

Supposedly if they see their shadow, they get scared and run back down and that means there will be six more weeks of winter.

And if they don't see their shadow and stay out, it means it will soon become spring.

Well, I never totally believed that story.

Yeah, me either.

I always wondered if it was another animal myth or a folk story.

Well this is our chance to find out.

What are groundhogs really doing when they first come out of their dens at the end of winter?

That's our mission!

And maybe that'll lead us to some hidden groundhog powers!

BOTH: All right!

Fantastico!

(Munching) Hmm, how are we going to do that?

We've missed winter; it's already springtime.

Springtime has just started down here in the south, but it's still winter up in the north, and that's where we should go.

All right, let's go on a groundhog mission!

Bye, Dandelion, we'll be back soon.

♫ JIMMY Z: We're here!

Up north where it's still winter.

All right, let's go find some groundhogs.

Uh, this decorative tooth feature on my groundhog suit grew crazy long.

I didn't program that.

Whoa!

Oof.

Nope, but nature did.

Of course!

One of the groundhog's powers is ever-growing teeth!

Yep.

Groundhog teeth grow continuously, and the groundhog has to keep grazing and chewing to wear those teeth down.

Yeah, wearing them down sounds like a good idea.

I can't even walk.

Okay, all you have to do is chew on something harder than these.

(Tapping) Like the floor.

Okay.

(Drilling sound) Ahhhhh!

Hi.

What is going on here?

This groundhog suit is out of control!

Sorry, Koki.

I didn't know that would happen, but I am so ready to get out there with my new powers and find out why groundhogs come up and look around at the end of winter.

(Stomach growling) Ha ha, but first, I need a snack.

I'm even hungrier than before.

Yeah, dandelion and grass salad.

Mmm, that would hit the spot.

(Chomping) It's so delicious!

Aviva is acting a little strange.

Uh, maybe we should see about taking that suit off.

Argh!

You think?

Oh, but she's so into groundhogs.

Let's just go with it.

Am I the only one who remembers how this happened?

Huh?

Uh, guys?

Where are all the groundhogs?

Where they always spend the winter.

Come on!

All the groundhogs are underground hibernating.

That means not eating, not moving, just sleeping through the whole winter.

Hmm, but is this a groundhog hole, a rabbit hole, or a fox hole?

Hmm.

No tracks coming in or out, so it could belong to a hibernating groundhog.

Only one way to find out.

Miniaturization!

Groundhogs, here we come!

Whoo!

Okay, we're right here.

The entrance leads into a steep downward tunnel, just like the groundhog burrow from this morning.

Looks like a groundhog burrow to me.

So, that means we should find the hibernation chamber right at the end of this... wall?

What?

It's just a dead end!

Huh, so no groundhogs down here.

Guess not.

Wait a second!

Groundhogs wall themselves in when they're hibernating.

That's it!

To protect themselves from predators while they're sleeping and defenseless.

Come on, let's dig through!

(Grunting) Ah!

Ugh!

Yes, there!

A groundhog!

Hibernating!

He has no idea we're here.

Let's run diagnostics on a hibernating groundhog and see how they compare.

Normal heart rate was 90 beats per minute.

Hibernating heart beat?

Four beats per minute!

That's so slow!

His temperature is 38 degrees Fahrenheit.

That's almost as cold as ice.

He's hardly burning any heat at all!

(Groundhog breathing) He's breathing only one time every six minutes.

Come on, that's impossible!

It's true!

He just took a breath and he won't breathe again for six minutes.

This is true hibernation!

The groundhog slows his whole body down so it doesn't have to use much energy.

Yeah, all the energy he needs is stored in the layer of fat he put on in summer when he stuffed himself with as much grass as he could.

That fat is all he needs to survive through the winter when there is no grass to eat.

Aviva, you've got to come see this.

We found a hibernating groundhog!

Incredible!

I'm on my way.

(Panting) (Yawning) Ay, I've never felt this sleepy.

(Yawning) Good night.

Uh, Martin?

Chris?

We've got a little problem.

Make that a big problem.

And she's heading your way!

(Loud rumbling) Ah!

(Martin gasping) (Yawning) Sweet dreams.

Uh-oh.

Did we just find the hidden groundhog Creature Power?

Is Aviva going into... hibernation?

Uh, wake up, Aviva!

(Martin grunting) Don't go to sleep yet!

Wake up!

(Snoring) Oh!

Ooh!

Ugh!

Yeah, she's hibernating.

Just like the groundhog who stores fat that his body can feed off during the winter, the Creature Power Suit has stored energy, too.

And that must be why Aviva was eating so much dandelion salad, to store energy for hibernation.

There's only one way to be sure.

Run a diagnostic.

Temperature, 38 degrees Fahrenheit.

Almost as cold as ice.

Heart rate, four beats per minute.

(Aviva breathing) One breath every six minutes.

Those are the exact same very low numbers as the groundhog!

Aviva is definitely hibernating.

She could sleep for a long time!

We've got to get her out of this Power Suit!

Deactivate!

Wait!

Oof!

We can't deactivate her out of her hibernation.

We have no idea what that would do.

The changes that hibernation makes to somebody's body is so severe that coming out of it suddenly could hurt Aviva.

And even if we could fix the Power Suit, we can't because it's not broken!

Its groundhog powers are working exactly like they're supposed to!

Are you done?

Oh, yeah, sorry.

But I think you're right.

Aviva has to come out of the hibernation naturally like a groundhog.

But how does that happen?

And how long will that take?

(Gulping) BOTH: Until springtime.

(Martin playing harmonica) ♫ (Bird chirping) The snow's melting.

The days are getting longer; there's more light each day.

CHRIS: That's it!

That's the signal to hibernating animals to wake up!

And somehow, unknown to scientists, groundhogs can sense the increasing amount of daylight even when they're burrowed underground.

(Groundhog breathing) Koki!

Jimmy!

The groundhog's awake.

Meet us outside.

He's coming up.

JIMMY Z: What's he doing?

He's not seeing his shadow.

Does that mean it's an early spring?

Oh, no.

He's going to see his shadow.

That means that winter's coming back.

KOKI: He could care less about his shadow.

He's looking for something else.

He's on the move!

He's up here for some reason, and it's not to check the weather.

(Martin panting) Koki, Jimmy!

He's arrived at another burrow.

Get over here fast!

Okay.

Why is he going into this burrow?

MARTIN: Only one way to find out.

Woo-hoo!

Woo-hoo!

(Sniffing) There must be another groundhog on the other side.

We've got to check it out!

It is another groundhog!

A female.

And she's still hibernating.

But he, a male groundhog, is awake.

The male groundhog comes up from his burrow not to check if spring is here, but to check out his territory and survey what females are hibernating in his territory.

He's looking for girl groundhogs!

And there's good reason for it!

Groundhogs have to have their babies early in the spring, just as the grass is growing so they can eat as much grass as possible, and put on all that extra weight that they need for hibernation in the next winter!

Hey, the male groundhog is heading off again!

Whoa!

This must be where the Groundhog Day story comes from, but actually, the truth is the groundhog isn't checking the weather or watching for shadows.

He's looking for girl groundhogs sleeping in his territory.

So, that's why male groundhogs come out earlier while it's still winter.

BOTH: Creature mission accomplished!

Well, almost.

We're still waiting for one more groundhog to wake up.

(Yawning) Oh, hey, guys.

Good morning, Aviva.

(Yawning) How long have I been sleeping?

MARTIN: Put it this way.

That was not a catnap, more like a groundhog nap!

Yeah, the hidden power of the groundhogs is to store fat for energy, slow everything down like heartbeat and breathing, and bring the body temperature low, and sleep through the winter.

Aviva, you were hibernating.

Huh?

(Yawning) And check it out.

The groundhog Power Suit is back to normal size.

You were living off the energy you stored from eating all those dandelion salads.

(Stomach growling) Ooh, I'm hungry.

Deactivate.

But no more dandelion salad.

I've got to grab something else to eat.

And let's head south.

I miss Dandelion!

Ah, nothing like lying around in the fresh green grass where the groundhogs graze.

I can't wait to tell everybody that groundhogs come out of their burrow late in the winter to start looking for girlfriends.

And one other thing we learned, again, is that every animal has some cool, sometimes hidden, Creature Power.

What about turkeys?

Oh, that sounds like another creature adventure!

(All laughing) (Martin laughing) Well, no doubt about it, the groundhog is a really cool creature, and pretty cute too.

Now, she looks real roly-poly, right, and round?

But you know, when you hold her, you realize that upper body is pretty strong, and has to be, for digging those amazing burrow systems.

And look at these hands!

Look at the claws on the hands.

Those are good for digging.

And the hind feet, they push the dirt out.

When the front feet dig, the back feet push out the loose dirt.

Now, let's put her down so she can find some more to eat.

A groundhog's body is designed to be low to the ground so she can eat as much grass as possible as fast as possible.

For groundhogs, especially in the north, summer is the time to get as fat as you can.

Because when summer's over, all of the groundhog's food disappears.

There's no fresh grass.

Without fresh grass and vegetation, there is nothing to eat, so how does a creature who depends on eating fresh vegetation survive?

CHRIS: With all that extra weight gained during the summer, a groundhog enters her burrow, and goes into a super sleep called hibernation.

MARTIN: Her body slows way, way down to save energy.

CHRIS: Her heartbeat slows to only four beats per minute.

She breathes in... (Inhaling breath) and then doesn't breathe again until six minutes later.

And she gets cold, her body temperature dropping until she's almost as cold as ice.

And then when spring finally comes, she emerges from her burrow and starts eating grass again!

With her head down in the grass, a groundhog can be vulnerable to predators.

And what predator wouldn't want to eat a nice, round, tasty groundhog?

Well, let's see, wolves eat them.

Bears, golden eagles, coyotes...

Uh, done yet, bro?

Badgers, great horned owls...

Okay, we get the point.

Everybody loves to eat groundhogs!

Good thing they're always a quick sprint away from a burrow.

So, we'll just let this groundhog get back to eating.

Like she ever stops.

And get back to hibernating.

But no hibernating for us.

We've got to keep on going.

Keep on creature adventuring!

See you on the creature trail!

♫ To find out more about cool animals... And collect your own Wild Kratts Creature Powers... Go to the Wild Kratts web site... ...at pbskids.org.

BOTH: We'll see you there!