STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 Feb. 2, 2014, began like any other Groundhog Day at the Staten Island Zoo in West Brighton.<\/p>\n
But on this day, as dignitaries surrounded then-mayor Bill De Blasio and a crowd gathered to celebrate Staten Island Chuck\u2019s annual spring prognostication, something unexpected happened.<\/p>\n
The groundhog squirmed in the mayor\u2019s gloved hands and fell quickly to the ground.<\/p>\n
At the time, the crowd didn\u2019t know that it wasn\u2019t Chuck at all. It was a 10-month-old stand-in groundhog named Charlotte. They laughed off the incident and the day proceeded as usual.<\/p>\n
But she died a few days later. And though the Staten Island Zoo issued a statement saying it \u201cappeared unlikely\u201d that young Charlotte\u2019s death was related to the events on Groundhog Day, many were skeptical and blamed the mayor for Charlotte\u2019s untimely demise.<\/p>\n
De Blasio faced scrutiny and became the butt of jokes citywide.<\/p>\n
After taking a beating from animal rights activists when her son was photographed stepping on the family dog, former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin used an appearance on NBC\u2019s \u201cToday Show\u201d to redirect the attention to de Blasio.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHe just, doggonit \u2014 he killed a groundhog when he dropped it last year,\u201d Palin said during the nationally broadcast show, just weeks before Groundhog Day 2015.<\/p>\n That year, the Staten Island Zoo changed its Groundhog Day celebration protocol, and Chuck was required to remain in a clear plastic enclosure. <\/p>\n He can now only be removed from and held by his handler. After a successful visit between de Blasio and Chuck in 2015, the protocol is still followed today.<\/p>\n