New York mayor drops groundhog at first official event

Here's hoping this moment doesn't come back to haunt Bill de Blasio.

The New York City mayor has dropped the city's famous groundhog ambassador, Staten Island Chuck, at his first official ceremony in the role as part of the annual celebrations.

Media coverage of the event captured the moment the furry creature slipped right out of Mr de Blasio's hands, ensuring he won't be living the incident down anytime soon.

Chuck the groundhog has had a tempestuous relationship with authorities, after biting then-New York mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2009.

According to folklore, if it is cloudy when the groundhog emerges, he will leave his burrow, signifying that winter will soon end.

If it is a sunny day, the critter will supposedly see his shadow and retreat back into his burrow, and winter will drag on for another six weeks.

Source: Huffington Post, YouTube, YouTube
Author: Chloe Ross, Approving editor: Matthew Henry