groundhogs / woodchucks in Brooklyn?

I hope this is all this is (as opposed to it being a sinkhole from Brooklyn to China)…But we have a hole in our backyard. We thought maybe it was an old buried oil or septic tank or a root ball, but the hole angles off into the ground, so it’s not straight down. The soil around the hole has collapsed, so the hole is now about 3 feet or so wide and 2.5 feet deep. But the angle into the ground is still there. So now we think the hole is due to…a groundhog? Our next door neighbor said she’s seen a possum plenty of times in her yard, but I don’t think possums dig like groundhogs do. And I’m wondering if perhaps what she thinks is a possum is actually a groundhog. From what I understand, raccoons don’t dig holes like groundhogs. Is it crazy to think it could be a groundhog? I’ve read that they have been found in Greenwood Cemetery and I even found a mention in Bay Ridge, which is where we are. What should our next steps be? Help us solve this mystery!

ps158

in Pest Control 10 years and 6 months ago

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MDR | 10 years and 6 months ago

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When it snows you can look for tracks.

Lurker | 10 years and 6 months ago

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Those holes become a real concern when they get near your house. A relative had a groundhog dig by their foundation which then filled up during rain storms and caused the wall to suddenly start leaking all over. Lots o $$$

tm07 | 10 years and 6 months ago

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My brother lives in Queens in an extremely suburban neighborhood. He has had a groundhog/woodchuck living in his backyard for about 2 years. He also has a family of possums and one of outdoor cats (cats all spayed/neutered/given rabies shots, etc) He has never had any problems with the woodchuck or the possums. They come out at night and don’t bother the cats. He does leave them an extra plate of dry cat food since he noticed they were eating from that of the cats. Possums look very different from groundhogs. I saw a live groundhog in Fort Tryon Park last month and it could not possibly be mistaken for a possum. I suggest that you leave your groundhog alone. They are not aggressive creatures. Perhaps you could just put up some metal hedging fencing to keep people away from the hole. You could also contact WINORR- Wildlife In Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation (on Facebook) and ask for their advice or the Alley Pond Park Environmental Center, who could probably also give you better advice.