Had your Phil of winter? Oregon Zoo hedgehog sees early spring

Punxsutawney Phil may be calling for six more weeks of winter, but here in the Northwest it’s safe to pack away those mittens, according to a similar prognosticator — this one a hedgehog, not a groundhog.

That’s the forecast from Whiskers J., the Oregon Zoo’s African pygmy hedgehog, who did not see his shadow Monday morning, meaning an early spring could be in store.

Ironically, while New Hampshire probably is ready to be rid of winter, the Northwest is seeing record-low snowpacks and worried ski resort operators who need more help from Old Man Winter.

At 10:30 a.m., a small crowd gathered in the zoo entry plaza to watch the proceedings, some bearing signs with slogans like “Hedgehogs RULE!” and “HEY, Punxsutawney Phil! You Ain’t Nothin’ but a Groundhog!!”

“Hedgehogs are the real weather experts of the animal world,” said zoo Curator Michael Illig, who presided over the morning’s Hedgehog Day festivities.

“Punxsutawney Phil and his ilk are relative newcomers to the game. When European immigrants to the United States realized their new home didn’t have hedgehogs, they turned to the groundhog out of necessity. But Whiskers J. is bringing the holiday back to its origins.”

Tradition — and cuteness — might have to count for a lot. According to records from StormFax Weather Almanac, Phil’s predictions have been correct about 39 percent of the time. Oregon Zoo hedgehogs have been slightly more successful, with a 40 percent accuracy rate.

“The zoo’s hedgehogs have fared about the same as Punxsutawney Phil — which admittedly is not that great,” Illig said. “Last year though, our hedgehog Mayzie did predict six more weeks of winter, which was pretty accurate for this region. We had major snowstorms and freezing rain in February and one of the wettest Marches on record.”

Whiskers J., one of five hedgehogs born at the zoo last summer, is making his forecasting debut this year. His distinctive moniker was selected by a zoo fan who bid on naming rights during November’s comedy night at the zoo — a conservation fundraiser that earned $28,000 for the Portland Audubon Society and the Tanzania-based Ruaha Carnivore Project.