Punxsutawney Phil, the famous “Phil the groundhog,” is said to be about 139 years old as of early 2025, according to his official club and recent news coverage, but this is treated as part of the legend, not biological reality. In real life, groundhogs usually live under 10 years, so multiple actual animals have almost certainly played the role over time, even though the tradition insists there is only one Phil who stays “ageless” thanks to a magical elixir of life.

How old is “Phil the groundhog” right now?

  • The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club and local media describe Punxsutawney Phil as being around 138–139 years old in 2024–2025.
  • One outlet noted him as “138 years old” in March 2024 when announcing he had become a father.
  • A January 2025 report said Phil is “allegedly 139 years old” and has been in Punxsutawney since the first Grover Cleveland administration.
  • Another piece quoting club representatives said he is “probably 139 years old,” tying his age to the long-running tradition.

So if you see people online asking “Phil the groundhog age,” they’re usually referring to this legendary age of roughly 139 years, not a scientifically verified animal lifespan.

Legend vs. real groundhog biology

The legend explains Phil’s extreme age by claiming he drinks a secret “elixir of life” every summer, which gives him long life and “youthful good looks.” This is treated as a fun piece of folklore, not a literal fact about an individual groundhog.

In reality:

  • Typical groundhog lifespan in the wild is estimated at about eight or nine years, and wildlife officials say few reach that maximum.
  • Biographical notes about Phil point out that groundhogs usually live around six years, underlining that no single animal could actually be 130+ years old.

Because of this, commentators and forum discussions often clarify that it’s the custom/tradition that’s over a century old, while multiple actual groundhogs have filled the “Phil” role, even though the club publicly maintains there is only one Punxsutawney Phil.

Mini timeline for context

  • Late 19th century: Groundhog Day with Punxsutawney Phil starts in Pennsylvania; the tradition’s age is what gives Phil his mythical multi‑decade lifespan.
  • February 2011: Some pieces already refer to Phil having appeared for well over 120 years.
  • March 2024: Phil is described as 138 years old and announced as a new father of two baby groundhogs.
  • January–February 2025: Phil is repeatedly described as 139 years old in news and feature stories ahead of Groundhog Day and in FAQ‑style explainers.

So, the short, practical answer to “Phil the groundhog age” is: his legendary age is around 139 years, but actual groundhogs only live under a decade, meaning several real animals have carried the name and tradition over the past century.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.