Sadly, Groundhogs generally live less than 5 years. Most don't make it past their first year. However, we had the same groundhog in our backyard for 5 Summers. Following the Fall of 2016, "Missouri Phillis" http://www.pbase.com/britestar/image/159874990 then vanished.
In the Spring of 2017, this groundhog replaced her in our backyard.
I know that this groundhog is not Phillis because this new one was very, very young last Spring.
Phillis was mature.
PLUS this new groundhog has a bob tail. Like other squirrels, the average groundhog has a long tail around 7 to 9.75 in (18 to 25 cm) long. "Missouri Phillis" had a long tail. This new groundhog's having a bob tail is unusual. Having a bobtail makes the new groundhog easy to identify. The bobtail doesn't seem to effect its health or stamina. Hope the current visitor to our yard lives at least as long as Phillis did; which was about 5 years.
Wishful thinking, but maybe this new groundhog (now in its second season) is a descendant of "Missouri Phillis". The new groundhog also has the entrance to its burrow in the same area that Phillis had hers.
Unlike back in 2017, the new groundhog (as of August 2018) now looks very fat and healthy. It definitely is fatter than "Missouri Phillis" ever was. I can also see personality differences between the two. Who would have imagined??? As much alike as they may casually seem to us, even wild animals are definitely individuals.
Although the P900 does not do well in low light, this image captured a moment in time; even with the speed pushed up (for movement) and too high an ISO for the camera to do its best. I've said this before. The photo captured is always better than the one missed.
Copyrighted Image. DO NOT DOWNLOAD, copy, reproduce, or use in any way without written permission from Elizabeth Bickel.