My Funny Picture - What kind of animal is this (Pics included) ?

What kind of animal is this (Pics included) ?

Recently, we've been saying this beaver-woodchuck animal type thing roaming around in my backyard. My dad even said that he saw it hiding (most likely living) underneath our little shed. I live in a small town in northern New Jersey, and it's not a woodsy kind of town. Of course, we have a bunch of trees and gardens, but that's about it. I've been seeing this fella almost everyday now, but I've never seen this kind of animal anywhere around my town before. My mom suggested that's it a really big squirrel... I hope not. Help me identify this animal and what it's doing here? http://i36.tinypic.com/imt3qb.jpg http://i36.tinypic.com/11b6iyr.jpg Sorry for bad quality, my camera is terrible. However, I'll supply some more pics if needed - He's outside right now.

Public Comments

Looks like a woodchuck
"GroundHog"
aww its soo cutee <3
A groundhog
Um...I am kinda not sure ut, I would say a opossum, or porcupine
its defanitly a rodent, im guessing a ground hog or a wood chuck..
Actually the person who said it's a woodchuck is correct. Woodchucks are a type of marmot. Marmots are a type of ground squirrel. Woodchucks are also called groundhogs. Confusing, isn't it, since this critter has so many "correct" names. My mother has been bitten twice by a woodchuck, years ago, when she worked at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. The woodchuck you captured pictures of looks to be in great body condition. As the weather in your area gets colder, your woodchuck will go into his burrow and go into hibernation. Woodchucks are one of the very few animals in the world who go into true hibernation. ~Garnet Permaculture homesteading/farming over 20 years Active wildlife study over 40 years
ground hog wood chuck uh rat or fat squirrel