Move over Punxutawney Phil, there’s a new prognosticator in town! Tater the Hedgehog!
Friday morning at the Kansas City Zoo, Tater, accompanied by Hedgehog Whisperer Jessica Cunningham, made a very early appearance to weigh in on the Spring/Winter question.
Tater is a spiny little mammal, less than a year old, who enjoys mealy worms and sniffing the air. Lots of sniffing.
Tater and his brother, Tot, are native to Africa but now make the KC Zoo their home.
Jessica gave us the rundown on some of the differences between the hedgehog and the groundhog. And it's not just that the groundhog has a better agent -- The two are totally different animals.
A groundhog is really a large rodent. And, most obviously, there is the size difference. Tater is small potatoes compared to Phil, for instance.
Also, hedgehogs are more active in the nighttime hours. They curl up in a ball and push our their needles when frightened.
But, if you think the groundhog really knows more about weather than the hedgehog, think again.
Historically-speaking, the Romans turned to hedgehogs for their seasonal predictions so, here in KC at the Zoo, we’re just being retro-hip.
Now, like all hedgehogs, Tater’s eyesight is not great.
He can’t really see his shadow.
But, he can hear and smell everything!
According to Tater, he hears the flowers blooming and can smell the Springtime rain.
So, no matter what Phil may think, Tater is calling for an Early Spring!
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