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Russian groundhog predicts early spring

Frol the Groundhog emerged from his house on Sunday, a day before Pennsylvania's famed groundhog Phil is expected to make his forecast for the United States

Groundhog (archive) ITAR-TASS/Valeriy Bushukhin

Groundhog (archive)

© ITAR-TASS/Valeriy Bushukhin

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ST.PETERSBURG, February 2. /TASS/. Frol the Groundhog of St. Petersburg Zoo has predicted an early spring for Russia, a zoo spokesman said.

Frol emerged from his house on Sunday, a day before Pennsylvania's famed groundhog Phil is expected to make his forecast for the United States.

"Frol is very energetic and sociable," the spokesman said, adding that the five-year-old was one of the zoo's contact animals, who can be fed and petted by visitors.

Meanwhile, the groundhog at Moscow Zoo has refused to wake up and tell of the weather, the zoo's press service said.

Groundhog Day has been celebrated in Pennsylvania since 1887. Legend has it that if the animal sees his shadow on February 2, winter will last for another six weeks. If he doesn't see it, spring will come early.

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