Florida Keys ‘Groundhog’ Conch Sees its Shadow

MARATHON, Florida Keys – A conch living underwater in the Florida Keys agreed with groundhog Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction of six more weeks of winter.

The “mollusk meteorologist” emerged from its shell Sunday morning at Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters and saw its shadow, according to Ben Daughtry, Aquarium Encounters’ president. 

The folklore surrounding Punxsutawney Phil means that, if he sees his shadow, another six weeks of winter weather is on tap for the U.S. If he doesn’t, the outlook is for an early spring.

“Our mollusk meteorologist saw its shadow and is predicting six more weeks of winter,” Daughtry said. “But that's okay, because here in the Florida Keys, all winter long, it's 76 degrees.”

The conch resides in a shallow “touch tank” at Aquarium Encounters in Marathon, located midway between Key Largo and Key West. 

Among guests observing the sea creature’s activities were members of the Marathon City Council and other dignitaries who wore traditional “Groundhog Day” top hats. Several sea urchins in the conch’s tank were also outfitted with tiny top hats. 

In addition, local musician John Bartus performed a self-penned song about “waiting on the “mollusk meteorologist.” 

“So the queen conch is really an important animal to the Florida Keys…if you're born in the Florida Keys, you're considered a conch, and our high school in Key West is the Key West Conchs,” Daughtry said.
While the Keys conch predicted six more weeks of winter, that’s no problem in the island chain — since the Keys’ winter temps are typically among the warmest in the U.S. — an average of 76 degrees.