The End of Groundhog Day?

The prediction of an early spring today by rodent prognosticator Punxsutawny Phil does little to lighten the mood of Midwesterners hit by a record snowfall. In fact, his tepid ability to predict the weather in recent years has renewed calls for the groundhog to be replaced as animal "weather man". Across the globe, there are many other creatures with a better record at forecasting the seasons as well as  major atmospheric and cultural events:

• In Madagascar, Omar the Ring-tailed Lemur descends from the trees to alert local villagers of impending mudslides.
• In the Welsh coastal town of Merthyr Tudful, a Hedgehog named Norman predicts fog and rain with 96% accuracy.
• In Kenya,the Winter Solstice is celebrated with Mombasa Mary, a giraffe with an uncanny ability to determine if the weather will continue to be hot, sunny and “African” for another year. So far, Mary has been right every time.
• In Paraguay, A Tapir named Concepción Juan has predicted that Americans will continue to be able to identify Paraguay on a map.
• In Germany, nervous residents of Bavaria look to a captive black bear named Helmut for signs of another Nazi uprising. Helmut, an unabashed fascist, is expected to predict the annexation of Austria, thus bringing about the rise of a Fourth Reich.
• In Vietnam, A Bengal Monitor named Ho Phen Mong emerges form his lair three times a week, eats a pile of beetles, grubs and ants left for him by adoring throngs, briefly warms himself in the sun, defecates and returns to his lair. Mong’s behavior does not predict anything, but people in Vietnam really have nothing else to entertain them.