What is the IUCN conservation status of the groundhog?

The groundhog’s IUCN conservation status is Least Concern.

The groundhog, or woodchuck, is the species Marmota monax, a widespread North American marmot. Its range extends across much of Canada, the eastern and central United States, and parts of Alaska. Because it remains common across a broad distribution, the species is not currently considered threatened at the global level.

“Least Concern” is the lowest-risk category used for evaluated species that do not qualify for a more threatened classification. It does not mean that every local population is free from pressure: roads, habitat changes, hunting, and conflicts with agriculture can affect groundhogs in particular places.

The status is also easy to confuse with the groundhog’s role in folklore. Groundhog Day ceremonies treat the animal as a weather predictor, but the IUCN assessment concerns the species’ population and extinction risk. The groundhog is a burrowing squirrel relative, not a beaver or a type of badger.