Did Punxsutawney Phil Die? Details on the Famed Groundhog

Mel’s handlers wrote in a Facebook post: “Considering the average lifespan of a groundhog is about three years, that is not such a shock, but Mel left us at a tough time of year, when most of his fellow groundhogs are hibernating.”

Given those circumstances, no replacement groundhogs would be ready until spring. Nonetheless, they added: “We will work hard on getting us a new weather prognosticator for next year.”