Punxsutawney Phil isn’t the only animal making winter predictions on Groundhog Day. Meet the other forecasting animals

WASHINGTON — Everyone knows about Punxsutawney Phil’s annual Groundhog Day weather prediction — but he’s far from the only animal weighing in on whether winter will stick around or give way to an early spring.

On Monday, Phil emerged from his burrow at Gobbler’s Knob in western Pennsylvania and predicted six more weeks of winter, according to his handlers in the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. They said Phil saw his shadow, signaling a longer winter ahead.

The prediction drew a mix of cheers and boos from tens of thousands of people who braved single-digit temperatures to attend the annual event. Because of the extreme cold, Phil’s handlers limited his time outdoors, asking attendees to take selfies from the stage instead of bringing Phil up for photos.

The annual ritual goes back more than a century, with ties to ancient farming traditions in Europe. Punxsutawney’s festivities have grown considerably since the 1993 movie “Groundhog Day,” starring Bill Murray.

While Phil often grabs the spotlight, dozens of other animals offer their own forecasts each year. Here’s how some of Phil’s fellow prognosticators weighed in this Groundhog Day.

The most famous groundhog of them all sided with more winter this year, a forecast he makes more often than calling for an early spring. 

New York City’s resident groundhog also landed in the “six more weeks of winter” camp this year. Staten Island Chuck is touted as the world’s most accurate prognosticating groundhog

Groundhog General Beauregard Lee waddled outside and tried to get into the hollow part of a log before an announcer proclaimed that he had seen his shadow, prompting groans from the crowd at the Dauset Trails Nature Center southeast of Atlanta.

The groundhog mascot in Pennsylvania joined Phil in predicting a longer winter.

Boulder’s own Flatiron Freddy emerged from his hiding spot with the assistance of his helpers and did not see his shadow, meaning an early spring.

Flatiron Freddy is a deceased, stuffed, fur-damaged yellow-bellied marmot who – with the help of its handlers – always arrives in a surprising way at the Chautauqua Ranger Station to declare to the world whether or not he sees his shadow.

A Havanese in New York, Gidget also predicted more winter weather.

An opossum in Alabama, Jill emerged with a forecast that winter is not done yet.

A crowd cheered in Albertville, Alabama, when Sand Mountain Sam, a possum, was said to have predicted an early spring. Sam arrived for his annual forecast carried in a whiskey barrel pulled by a convoy of wagons and horses.

In Ohio, the groundhog Buckeye Chuck predicted an early spring.

North Carolina’s groundhog Fig Newton also sided with a warmer forecast.

The famous Canadian groundhog in Nova Scotia predicted an early spring.

While the movie “Groundhog Day” is set in Punxsutawney, it was mostly filmed in the town of Woodstock, Illinois. That’s where Woodstock Willie makes his prediction once a year.

A fish in Ohio, Benny the Bass joined the early spring camp after taking the bait in his fish tank.

In northeastern Connecticut, its Scramble the Duck who looks for his shadow to do the prognosticating on Groundhog Day. This year, his shadow was present – a sign of a long winter.

A ferret in Pennsylvania, Giuseppe also forecast an early spring.

Groundhog Day predictions aren’t limited to just a handful of animals. Michael Venos, who tracks forecasts at countdowntogroundhogday.com, said he expects to tally about 100 predictions from animals across the U.S., Canada and beyond.

As of Monday afternoon, results remained split, with 32 animals predicting a long winter, and 31 more predicting an early spring, offering plenty of debate over whether more winter weather is still in store or if spring is waiting in the wings.