Groundhog Day ceremony canceled in Milltown, N.J., as search for new Mel continues

For the second year in a row, Milltown, N.J., will not have a groundhog to let residents know if they’re due for an early spring or six more weeks of wintry weather.

The last Milltown Mel died at the end of 2021 at 5 years old, exceeding typical groundhog life expectancy, said Milltown Wrangler Russ Einbinder. In the past, they’d been able to replace Mel without much fanfare. But as the Wranglers struggled to find the next furry generational talent in meteorology, they called off the 2022 ceremony in Middlesex County and now the 2023 event.

In a brief Facebook post Sunday announcing the ceremony cancellation, the Wranglers indicated they had a replacement, but it ultimately failed to meet New Jersey requirements.

» READ MORE: Punxsutawney Phil’s New Jersey counterpart dies right before Groundhog Day

The cancellation underscores how finding the next winter prognosticator is not as simple as grabbing a groundhog from the wild, as some have suggested — to the bewilderment of Einbinder.

“You can’t just say, ‘Oh, I got one in my backyard,’” he said. “You try handling one that you haven’t handled since birth and you’re gonna get your hand bit off.”

What’s more, there are serious rules regulating the possession of wild animals in New Jersey and that was just one barrier the Wranglers encountered this year.

The Wranglers announced the birth of a new Mel in July, but they later learned the newborn couldn’t meet New Jersey wildlife regulations.

According to New Jersey Fish and Wildlife staff, groundhogs can carry a variant of rabies not present in the state. For that reason, these animals are strictly regulated, requiring proof that they weren’t taken from the wild and further preapproval before they’re imported.

“At this time, NJ DEP Fish & Wildlife has no application for preapproval for importation of a groundhog from Milltown,” read a statement from staff.

Einbinder declined to go into specifics of where their chosen buck-toothed talent went wrong. He did say borrowing a groundhog for the day was not any easier. Zoos in Philadelphia, Central Park, the Bronx, and Akron had none to spare.

“We said OK, we threw our hands up, there’s just no way to do it this year,” said Einbinder. “We were trying everywhere and there’s nothing.”

Einbinder said groundhogs are born in a relatively short time frame, between the end of March to May, and few are born in captivity.

The Wranglers will try to find a new Mel that meets the state’s wildlife requirements this spring. In the meantime, they’re going to skip some suggestions like using an animatronic groundhog or an animal dressed as a groundhog. Einbinder said the Wranglers also politely declined a taxidermist’s offer to use a stuffed groundhog.

“The concept is a little cheesy to begin with, but at least it’s a cool tradition with us, Pennsylvania, and other places doing it over 100 years and change,” said Einbinder. “The point is, we didn’t want to get too cheesy.”

The Milltown Wranglers suggested locals turn to Punxsutawney Phil in neighboring Pennsylvania, or Mel’s other groundhog cousins for wintry predictions.