Mayor blocked from holding groundhog
Posted: Jan 07, 2015 12:29 PM EST Updated: Jan 07, 2015 1:51 PM EST
By MYFOX NEW YORK STAFF

Groundhog Day is next month, but the Staten Island Zoo wants to set some ground rules now when it comes to the annual tradition of checking in on Staten Island Chuck.

As the story goes, if the groundhog sees its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter.

Last year, while holding Chuck, the animal fell out of Mayor Bill de Blasio's hands. Previous to that, the groundhog bit former Mayor Mike Bloomberg.

A few days after the incident with de Blasio, Chuck died. It had suffered internal injuries, said zoo officials, but it wasn't clear when they had been sustained.

This year and every year after, no one will be holding the groundhog.

"Mayor de Blasio and our other elected officials are, as always, invited to attend and join the many school children, parents and teachers, animal-lovers, weather aficionados and fans of Staten Island Chuck who participate in the ceremony every year," according to a statement from the zoo.

The groundhog will reportedly be placed in a Plexiglass enclosure for everyone to see.

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mORE
http://www.myfoxny.com/story/27783292/no...en-island-chuck

RIP Staten Island Chuck