By Laura Ruane

North Fort Myers: Home of the Groundhog Winter Estates. What? You hadn’t heard?

The Shell Factory & Nature Park, a 68-year-old granddaddy of local tourist attractions, is going into the winter forecasting biz. And you can be part of it.

Vice President of Fun Stuff Pamela Cronin gave me the 411 on Monday. Seems her dad, longtime high school instructor and coach Richard Dunmire, was born and reared in Punxsutawney, Pa., home of that celebrity groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil.

Ever since the Shell Factory added a 3-acre animal park to its retailing and entertainment operations in 2001, “he’d say, ‘you ought to have a groundhog habitat,’ ” Cronin said. “Plus, they’re just kind of fun little critters.”

Three groundhogs are expected to arrive this week at the park, including two who are “with child,” Cronin said. That means we can hope for the pitter-patter of little groundhog feet later this year.

Since purchasing the attraction in 1997, Cronin’s husband, Tom Cronin Sr., has tried a lot of new features. His goal: to please tourists who come here by the busload in the winter, but also to woo repeat visits from local families, who comprise about half of the park’s year-round market share.

The local groundhog forecast will coincide with the one in Pennsylvania, at around daybreak on Thursday, Feb. 2. Up in the frigid North, if Phil emerges from his burrow on Gobbler’s Knob and sees his shadow, it means six more weeks of winter.

According to groundhog.org, “He speaks to Groundhog Club president in ‘Groundhogese’ (a language only understood by the current president of the Inner Circle). His proclamation is then translated for the world.”

As for Florida’s Phil, “we are absolutely rooting for him to see his shadow,” said Pamela Cronin, who serves on the county Tourist Development Council.

She thinks our winter residents would be “thrilled to death” to have an excuse to stay longer, not to mention the joy of local businesses — including the Shell Factory — that rely heavily on Lee County’s $2 billion-a-year tourism industry.

Cronin has been busy recruiting her own groundhog inner circle, including Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott; Lee County Commission Chairwoman Tammy Hall; D.T. Minich, head of the county visitor bureau; and Marietta Mudg- ett, executive director of the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce.

However, you don’t have to be a local celebrity or dignitary to attend the Shell Factory event, which is scheduled for 6:30-8 a.m. Feb. 2.

Make your request for passes at questions@shellfactory.com or phone 995-2141, ext. 110. This also will let you tour the Nature Park free of charge that morning — an $8 savings for adults. Pamela Cronin added: “We especially want anyone from Punxsutawney or who has been to Punxsutawney.”