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3mo ago

Wiarton Willie, Ontario’s Famed Groundhog, Dies as Town Plans Successor Search

Town officials report a peaceful passing, signaling a prompt search for a new prognosticator.

South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Garry Michi looks at Wiarton Willie in a Plexiglas box during the annual Groundhog Day event in Wiarton, Ont., Thursday, Feb.2, 2023. Ontario's Wiarton Willie has called for an early spring. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Doug Ball
Wiarton Willie, the weather-prognosticating rodent that last month predicted an early spring, has died. Many groundhogs have taken on the weather-prognosticating role since 1956 in the town of about 1,900 people located on the Bruce Peninsula.

Overview

  • The Town of South Bruce Peninsula announced Willie’s death on Tuesday and said a search for his successor will begin in the coming days.
  • Mayor Jay Kirkland called the Wiarton Willie Festival a 70-year community touchstone that brought people together and helped put Wiarton on the map.
  • Willie’s final Groundhog Day appearance on Feb. 2, 2026 included a prediction of an early spring.
  • The current Willie had served since 2023, continuing a local tradition that began in 1956.
  • Officials described Willie as a curious, charismatic animal who delighted residents and visitors.