A different Milwaukee County Zoo animal will make Groundhog Day prediction in 2024

Amy Schwabe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
·2 min read
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There is no resident groundhog at the Milwaukee County Zoo this year after Gordy, the zoo's Groundhog Day ambassador for five years, unexpectedly died just under a month after he predicted six more weeks of winter in the zoo's annual Groundhog Day ceremony in 2023.

In February 2023, Milwaukee County Zoo's resident groundhog, Gordy, saw his shadow at the zoo's Groundhog Day celebration, predicting six more weeks of winter. Gordy unexpectedly died shortly afterward, in March 2023.
In February 2023, Milwaukee County Zoo's resident groundhog, Gordy, saw his shadow at the zoo's Groundhog Day celebration, predicting six more weeks of winter. Gordy unexpectedly died shortly afterward, in March 2023.

That doesn't mean there won't be a celebration.

This year on Feb. 2, the zoo's Humboldt penguins will take over weather-forecasting duties.

The Milwaukee County Zoo's Humboldt penguins will step in to take over Groundhog Day weather forecasting duties on Feb. 2, 2024. The zoo's resident groundhog, Gordy, died not long after the 2023 ceremony.
The Milwaukee County Zoo's Humboldt penguins will step in to take over Groundhog Day weather forecasting duties on Feb. 2, 2024. The zoo's resident groundhog, Gordy, died not long after the 2023 ceremony.

At 9 a.m. at the zoo's Taylor Family Humboldt Penguins habitat, the penguins will waddle out to predict whether we will or won't get six more weeks of winter. (Note that the event is before the zoo opens to the public.)

As tradition goes, if the groundhog — err, penguin — sees its shadow, (more) winter is coming. If not, the lore says, spring will be here early.

The zoo will announce the forecast on its website (milwaukeezoo.org) and its social media platforms.

This is not uncharted territory. After Gordy's predecessor groundhog, Wynter, died (also about a month after her last Groundhog Day celebration), Snow Lilly the polar bear stood in at the zoo's 2018 ceremony.

She predicted six more weeks of winter.

Back in 2018, Journal Sentinel columnist Jim Stingl wrote that an actual groundhog represented the zoo in its annual Groundhog Day celebration for the 37 years prior to 2018, except in 2011 when the event was canceled because of a blizzard.

Stingl also noted that "historically bears were once used for this old German celebration at the roughly halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. Presumably, they weren't calling it Groundhog Day back then."

Gordy the Groundhog checks out the scene during the 2019 Groundhog's Day celebration at the Milwaukee County Zoo.
Gordy the Groundhog checks out the scene during the 2019 Groundhog's Day celebration at the Milwaukee County Zoo.

The following year, a more traditional Groundhog Day celebration was back when Gordy, then only 10 months old, made his Groundhog Day debut (He predicted an early spring that first time.)

More Zoo News: Here are animals we said goodbye to in 2023. And those we welcomed.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee County Zoo plans Groundhog Day celebration without groundhog