Ontario’s very own albino prognosticator has died, according to South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Janice Jackson. But it wasn’t a recent death.
Willie actually died prior to the last Groundhog Day ceremony, a spokesperson for the town confirmed. The groundhog was a no-show at a virtual ceremony held last year. Organizers of the event pre-recorded Willie’s prediction.
Many assumed that the virtual Groundhog Day predictions from Ontario’s Wiarton Willie and Nova Scotia’s Shubenacadie Sam were a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it also sparked rumours about Willie’s health.
Mayor Jackson made the announcement Tuesday that Canada’s high-profile groundhog Wiarton Willie had died from a tooth abscess.
“Our albino prognosticator sadly passed away leaving his big brown understudy in charge of making the 2022 prediction,” said Jackson in the statement.
A tweet from Wiarton Willie’s official account Tuesday afternoon indicated that his understudy would be taking over Willie’s forecasting duties.
“Life, as we know it, has changed, and Willie’s no exception,” the Wiarton mayor told the Star back in January. “We pivoted like every other business and event, and so we’re doing a virtual prediction this year.”
A statement from the town says the video released on the previous Groundhog Day was intended as a tribute to Wiarton Willie.
“Albino groundhogs are rare and between not having a replacement, COVID restrictions prohibiting gatherings at that time, and Willie’s 65th Anniversary, we felt it was a great opportunity to pay tribute to the history of Wiarton Willie, so last year we shot a cute video,” said Danielle Edwards, a spokesperson for the town of South Bruce Peninsula.
“We have been searching for an albino ever since but when the end of the summer was approaching and groundhogs hibernating, our window of opportunity was quickly closing so we adopted a brown groundhog,” said Edwards.
A funeral was held in September 2017 when then-Willie died. Wiarton does not know how many Willies there have been since the tradition began.
Many on social media have been sharing their thoughts on the loss of Willie.
Every year on Feb. 2, people gather in Wiarton to find out if Willie will see his shadow and predict six more weeks of winter or an early spring. The town in South Bruce Peninsula has been celebrating the Wiarton Willie Festival for more than 64 years.
“We look forward to gathering together for a “live” event in 2022. It will be great to be able to celebrate Willie’s prediction together, as a community,” says Mayor Jackson.
In addition to the prediction on Feb. 2, the town says next year’s 2022 festival events will be held on Feb. 5.
The new Willie is currently in the understudy home attached to the Ross Whicher Centre in Wiarton, Edwards told the Star.
New Willie is reportedly 4-years-old, very curious, and an insatiable eater.
Clarification: An earlier version of this article suggested that prediction morning for Wiarton, Ont., would be Feb. 5 in 2022, on the same day as the town’s festival events.
Simran Singh is a reporter for the Star’s radio room based in Toronto. Reach Simran via email: simransingh@thestar.ca
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