Tens of thousands were expected to gather today in the Central Pennsylvania town of Punxsutawney, where Phil, the prognosticating marmot, was appearing on national television in celebration of Groundhog Day.

	Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Phil with his handler -- or should it be Phyllis? Click photo for larger image. More on Groundhog Day Updates from the Associated Press

The cottage industry of Punxsutawney tourism surrounding the annual Feb. 2 event includes an elaborate legend explaining the same groundhog's ability to have predicted the arrival of spring every year since 1886.

But a Pennsylvania zookeeper is blowing the lid off Groundhog Day, adding to the legend with a tale of The Great Groundhog Impersonation of 2001.

Yes, Virginia, there is no 121-year-old groundhog.

The Groundhog Day mythology is clearly explained at www.punxsutawneyphil.com, one of several Web sites promoting the event.

"How many Phils have there been over the years?" the site asks. "Of course, there has only been one Phil. How many Santa Clauses have there been?"

The site goes on to explain that Punxsutawney Phil is given "a special elixir called The Elixir of Life. The drink extends his life for an extra seven years with each sip."

But Sonny Herring of the privately owned Woodland Zoo in Farmington, near Uniontown, says the animal that predicted the late spring of 2001 was not the magical marmot. It was one of his critters. Not only that, Phil was really a Phyllis.

"When they needed a groundhog for Groundhog Day, they got a guy with a backhoe to dig one up," said Mr. Herring. "The one they dug up died and they needed another one."

That need was complicated when a Pennsylvania tourism bureau booked Punxsutawney Phil to appear that morning on "Live with Regis" in New York City.

The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium doesn't keep a groundhog, but one happily hibernating at the 35-acre walk-through zoo in Fayette County had an open schedule, at least until March. Mr. Herring says sometime before Groundhog Eve, he and a couple of helpers dug her up.

"They flew in a jet from Punxsy, landed at [nearby] Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and flew back to Punxsutawney for the Groundhog Day ceremony, then to New York," Mr. Herring said. "They put her up at one of the top hotels in New York City. She had her own room. There's a video of her running around the hotel room."

Mr. Herring says the pampered substitute groundhog appeared on several morning weather shows, but had a beef with the CNN meteorologist.

"Off camera, she bit the weather guy," he said. "After all that, they brought her back [to the Woodland Zoo]. She didn't go back into hibernation, she stayed awake from then on."

The Woodland Zoo woodchuck never squealed about her moment in the limelight impersonating her famous cousin. She died two years ago.

The Woodland Zoo became a part of animal mythology again in 2006 when Indian tribes from across the country gathered there to herald the birth of a rare white buffalo. Legend says the birth signifies the return of the White Buffalo Calf Woman, a prophetess who can teach people to communicate with the creator. The white buffalo, it is believed, is a reminder of each person's responsibility to the elements of creation, including wind, water, plants and other people.