Kharkiv Groundhog Tymko III Predicted Spring Arrival
February 1, 2020
Author: Veronika Vetukhova
When taken out of his house, the animal «whispered» his weather prediction to the First Deputy Keeper of the Groundhog Nadiia Tokarska
On February 1, 2020, the Biological Station of Karazin University in Haidary village held celebrations of Groundhog Day.
The event brought together a lot of guests who arrived to know Tymko’s prediction.
Among them were Vice-President Anatolii Babichev; Dean of the School of Biology, Vasyl Zhmurko; Head of Kharkiv Press Club, Liudmyla Dolia; representative of Kharkiv Rotari Club Petro Koretskyi, and others.
“I’d like to thank our journalists and biologists. It was their initiative, back in 2004, to gather here — in Haidary village, which during these years has become the capital of Ukrainian weather, at the University’s Biological Station having the largest groundhog population. During this period, a lot of traditions have emerged and spread. But we didn’t even think we would unite Ukraine. Our Tymko starts forecasting and predicts spring, and in 15 days in Lviv a female groundhog is making her forecast,” said Liudmyla Dolia welcoming those present.
Anatolii Babichev remarked that it is an Old Slavic tradition to “ask” weather-predicting animals about what weather we can expect to plan sowing. He expressed his hope that Tymko III would not only make a prediction, but also congratulate Karazin University on its 215th anniversary.
Vasyl Zhmurko pointed out that the School of Biology had existed since the establishment of Karazin University— for 215 years. “And all this time, biologists have studied, preserved, developed all the living creatures that surround us, including groundhogs,” he said.
Vasyl Zhmurko added that Tymko III not only predicts weather, but aslo participates in research as an editor. In particular, he looked through the Red Book prepared by biologists (animal world) and approved it for publication, having set his seal. The book will be kept in the University’s Central Scientific Library.
The Keeper of the Groundhog, Viktor Tokarskyi, focused on the importance of preserving the population of groundhogs. In Velykoburlutskyi district, there are less than a thousand of them left, which can lead to catastrophic consequences.
When taken out of his house, the animal “whispered” his weather prediction to the First Deputy Keeper of the Groundhog Nadiia Tokarska. “Tymko is shocked by the weather. Winter will last, warmth will come in six weeks,” she explained.
The Predictor was also asked whether we should expect snow next year. And unfortunately, the forecast is disappointing: next winter will be snowless. However, we hope that the weather will not listen to the groundhog, and we will still see the long-awaited snow.
Tymko III has recently become the symbol of Karazin University sports life. That is why the University Futsal team — Vice-Champion of the European Universities Championship — invited him to become a symbolic team captain and handed him a personal name T-shirt.
