Closely related to both ground squirrels and prairie dogs the fourteen species of Marmots are the largest ground-dwelling squirrels in the world. Weighing in at about the size of a domestic cat, these extremely vocal rodents are found only in the Northern Hemisphere. Eight are found in the Old World and six in the new.
Marmots have developed a variety of social systems ranging from the highly social Alpine Marmots, where the offspring from several litters not only remain within the group for a number of years but also actively help in the rearing of other litters, to the solitary Groundhog of North America. In this species males and females tend to live alone. Males tend to mate with neighbouring females, and their offspring tend to leave home before their first hibernation.
Each of the fourteen species are true hibernators and as such, during the winter their body temperature drops to only a few degrees Celsius. In common with other hibernatory species they arouse every so often before returning into a deep torpor. Current research suggests that these periods of wakefulness are intended as a systems check for the immune system, partly compensating for the large amounts of energy required to carry them out.
When alarmed by predators all marmots exhibit their own species-specific alarm calls (whistles and chirps). While woodchucks tend to be pretty silent, their cousins tend to be quite vocal and emit loud alarm whistles or chirps at the slightest provocation. Thus a common name of North America’s yellow-bellied marmot is the “whistle pig”. Some species Eurasian marmots vary the rate at which they whistle as a function of terrain. Prof. Alexander Nikolskii’s long-term studies have shown that marmots call faster when they live in areas with more vertical relief and broken sight lines. Marmots on the steppes tend to call more slowly. All Marmot species have a highly evolved sense of place with a number of species living in stunning alpine settings.
Vancouver Island marmots live on Vancouver Island in Canada and are. With fewer than 100 remaining marmots, they are one of the most endangered species in the world. Vancouver Island marmots are chocolate brown with a white spot on their chest. They are one of the larger marmots and are among the most photogenic marmots.
Although marmots are often an important source of summer food for foxes, coyotes, wolves, bears, snow leopards, and eagles, the marmots themselves, are almost exclusively vegetarian. They are not totally averse to meat however and they may eat the occasional insect or the occasional piece of roadkill.
Marmota baibacina: Gray or Altai marmot
This species is found high in the alpine areas of the Altai mountains of Central Asia and is active for approximately five months of the year. This marmot species is reported to mature very slowly and doesn’t breed for the first three years. Even then only about half the adult females breed. Though each female produces around six pups per litter, they suffer an extremely high first year mortality with only one pup born one year surviving to the next.
In the wild, populations of the Altai Marmot are in serious decline. In Mongolia they appear to hybridise with Marmota sibirica with hybrid vocalisations reported to contain elements of both species’ calls.
Marmota bobac: Bobac or Steppe marmot
This species is widely distributed throughout the steppes of southern Russia and Kazakhstan and can range as far west as Central Europe. Their preferred habitat is low plains where they build burrows in the soil. For the most part however, it is largely extinct in the European part of its range (Hungary, Poland and west of the Black Sea plains), due to extensive ploughing destroying its habitat. The clearing and ploughing of the steppe and the forest-steppe caused a dramatic decrease in their population numbers until around 1950, when better conservation measures and re-introductions halted the decline. Populations increased until around 1980 and have since remained roughly constant. The future prospects of the Bobak species are good however, as unlike most other species, steppe marmots prosper on rolling grasslands and on the edge of cultivated fields.
Weighing in at 4-6Kg and measuring anywhere from 40-65cm, with the tail contributing anything up to 20cm more, the Bobak Marmot is a particularly large sub-species. Indeed, according to Prof. Kenneth Armitage, the steppe marmot is a large analogue of the North American prairie dog. Possessing a particularly round paunch, and a laid-back alert posture, steppe marmots would be quite at home in Colorado. Coloration is not so far removed either, being uniformly golden with the head, snout and extreme end of the tail being noticeably darker.
This prolific marmot is accustomed to colony life. They are monogamous and form extended family groupings consisting of a single breeding pair their young for the year, yearlings, two-years-olds and often other non-reproductive adults. Each of these groupings is highly territorial and there is very little overlap of ranges between neighbouring groups.
In common with all marmot species the Bobak hibernates but remains active for around 5-6 months per year. Litter sizes are usually five young who take at least three years to reach sexual maturity. Dispersers will usually leave their natal colony after the second hibernation to form their own social groupings.
This sub-species is particularly valued by humans, indeed Steppe marmots have served as a natural “food” reservoir that saved many Russians from starving to death during periodic famines over the last hundred years.
Marmota camtschatica: Black-Capped Marmot
The three sub-species of Black-Capped Marmot inhabit mountain tundra at an altitude of 1400-200m in the cold and hostile alpine areas of eastern Siberia and north-eastern Asia. Each of the sub-species live in very isolated and spatially distinct populations with no inter-mixing evident.
Common features in all habitats is rocks and a dirth of vegetation. The permafrost zone where the soil is permanently frozen is a very important part of its range, and although these Marmots inhabit burrows, they can only dig them when the soil unfreezes sufficently in summer. It explains the patchy distribution of Black-Capped marmot populations.
Weighing in at 3 to 4 kg with a body length 40 to 65 cm, their colouration is essentially brownish fur with a very marked black spot from the nape to the head.
Active for only around three and a half months a year, they mature very slowly, waiting at least three years before leaving their originial group. Their social and very territorial family groupings are made up of a reproductive pair of adults, with the young of the two preceding litters. Litter sizes usually number four to six, male-biased young.
Breeding occurs once per year, though only 2 in 3 females breed and only then after their third period of hibernation.
Pregancy lasts about 35 days with the young born at the end of May or the beginning of June at which point they stay in the burrow about one month before emergence.
The Black-Capped marmot hibernates longer than any other species from 7 to 9 months( mid- September to mid-May). Social hibernation is a characteristic of this species with family group or even several family groups hibernating together ( 30-40 individuals in some cases). This group hibernation strategy has likely developed to combat the extremly cold winters in their native environment. In fact, when the nest temperature decreases sufficiently, the animals wake up in turn to reheat the air of the nest with their body heat. The healthiest individuals wake up most often allowing others longer uninterrupted periods of hibernation.
Flowers, young leaves and plant stems are the mainstays of this species diet although at certain times roots, seeds and cedar walnuts play an important role. Feeding from meat occurs during the spring, when invertebrates, small rodents and birds are taken.
Due to their habitat predators are few and have only a small impact on their numbers. Wolves often hunt the marmot, digging through the ground to their shallow burrows. In fact, the primary predator is poaching, for fur, meat and fat.
Numbers have decreased markedly during the last 40 years, mainly due to the deterioration of its habitat (regression of tundra-steppes; progress of forests). Despite hunting bans the sub-species population of M. camtschatica bungei close to extinction and the M. camtschatica doppelmayeri is listed as vulnerable in the Red Book of the Yakut Republik.
Marmota caudata: Long-Tailed Marmot
The Long-Tailed Marmot and its sub-species M. caudata aurea (The Golden or Red Marmot)
Makes its home high in the alpine meadows and subalpine massifs of Hindu Kush, Karakoram, and Tien Shen mountains of Central Asia, at elevations of 600 to 4300m. This most beautiful of marmots weighs 3 to 4 kg, with a body length of 40 to 60 cm and a 30cm+ tail. It’s habitat is often grazed by domestic sheep, goats, and yaks.
The Long-Tailed Marmot is quite striking in appearance with red to orange fur with the back sometimes very dark, almost black on occasion.
Maturing very slowly and active for only around 20 weeks each year, this species does not leave its natal group for at least three years. Each group is usually comprised of a single breeding pair and a number of non-dispersing offspring. It is not uncommon however for adults to move form one group to another, however when this occurs young pups in the new group are often killed. This behaviour is not unique to Marmota caudata and has been documented in Alpine Marmots.
Breeding is sporadic – at a single site in northern Pakistan only 14% of adult females were known to produce offspring.
Marmota himalayana: Himalayan Marmot
Inhabiting alpine meadows in the Himalayan mountains of Nepal, parts of India, and parts of Tibet, the Himalayan Marmot is one of the highest altitude living mammals in the world. Found at elevations from 4000 to 6000m, essentially the upper extremities of the vegetated zone, the Himalayan marmot weighs 4 to 6Kg and can grow up to 80cm in length. Their fur is a light brown with black a common back colour.
Virtually nothing is known of the single subspecies of the Himalayan marmot, M. himalyana robusta, commonly known as the “Tibetan snow pig”, except that it is one of the largest of marmots, weighing in at over 6 kg.
Marmota marmota: Alpine Marmot
Alpine Marmots are distributed throughout the Alps, Carpathians, Pyrenees and Tatra mountains of Europe where they live in grazed sub-alpine pastures and the higher elevations of alpine regions. Usually distributed between 800 and 3200m, their optimum range is 2300-2700m on southern facing slopes.
Like most of the other Old World marmots, alpine marmots live in territorial family groups where there is a breeding pair and offspring from previous years. Around half of all adult females will breed in any given year, though litters are usually quite small, 3-4 pups. The young are born after a gestation period of 5 weeks and live in the burrow for 40 days before they are weaned and emerge outside. Unusually for Marmot species, their active season is relatively long, five and a half months, but young tend not to disperse for at least 3 years.
The Alpine Marmot is monogamous and breeding occurs at the end of April, fifteen days after group hibernation emergence. Sexual maturity is reached during their second year, but in general individuals breed only after their third year. Studies suggest that adult females breed in alternate years. Only the dominant female in any family group reproduces. Sub-ordinate females may get pregnant, but the dominant female prevents them from giving birth by initiating stressful fights.
This species is a herbivore and despite the richness of its environment keeps a very selective diet. It eats mostly flowers rather than stems, roots and seeds. It may occasionally eat larvae, worms and grasshoppers but is not known to drink preferring instead the water content of its diet and the dew present on it at dawn and dusk.
The Alpine Marmot has a very distinctive appearance, weighing 3 to 5Kg, with a body length of 45 to 60cm and a tail of 15 to 25cm. It has short legs; and a brown tail that turns black at the end. Overall its fur is brownish with orange areas on the back and a belly that is beige to orange. It has a chestnut muzzle with a white spot between the muzzle and the eye and white ends to its small ears.
The Golden Eagle is the main predator of the Alpine marmot forming up to 90 % of its diet. The fox is also an important predator.
The Alpine Marmot disappeared during historic time in Rumania and Slovenia and has since been re-introduced. Many re-introductions have also been conducted in other countries since the 19th century: Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. Marmots introduced in to France have also formed colonies in Spain.
Marmota menzbieri: Menzbier’s Marmot
Menzbier’s is the smallest of the Marmot species, 40 to 50cm in length and weighing only 2.5 to 4 kg. It is quite distinguishable from the other species by its fur, the top of the head, upper parts of its body and its sides are dark even black, while its cheeks, feet, and lower parts of the body are a pale yellow. Locally it goes by the name Yellow Mouse in summer and Black Mouse in the autumn.
This extremely social marmot inhabits alpine meadows between 2100 and 3300 m in the steppes of western Tien Shan mountains of Kazakhstan. Its range covers only 200 square kilometres, sitting astride Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan and Tadjikistan. Their burrows are situated mostly on the northern and eastern slopes of the mountains where a layer of snow piles up and isolates the burrows during hibernation.
This species forms territorial family groups of 2 to 10 individuals and as with other Marmots is a herbivore. After hibernation, it eats wild onions, herbs, crocus, leafs of tulips, young shoots and sometimes insects.
This species hibernates for seven months and breeds once a year before they first emerge from the burrow or in the days immediately after emergence. Sexual maturity is reached after the second period of hibernation with litters of 3 to 5 pups being common. Pups are waned after approximately one month.
Menzbier’s marmot is an endangered species, listed in the Red Books of the four countries it inhabits. From the 1960’s hunting has been banned. The main cause of its decline is again human activity: hunting, destruction of its environment (geologic prospecting) and overgrazing. As a result, a fall in reproductive success and population threatens the future of this species. Current estimates of population size are around 40,000 individuals.
Marmota sibirica: Mongolian Marmot
The Mongolian Marmot is distributed throughout Mongolia, Manchuria and Transbaikal. They are active for about six months a year but takes at least three years to mature and disperse.
Approximately 50% of females breed in any given year and litter sizes average 3-4. In Mongolia, locals prize their meat and oil, and even export their fur to Russia. Hunting is a major pastime and its management may well prove to be a major challenge for the future. Hunters commonly shoot them from horseback and wave a white yak-tail to get the marmots to stand up and be shot more easily.
Marmots in some parts of Mongolia are subject to plague. This species is closely related to M. bobac and M. babacina.
Marmota broweri: Alaska or Brower’s Marmot
The Alaskan Marmot inhabits the permanently frozen grounds of the Brooks Range mountains on Alaska’s north slope. Little is known about this species, although it has been determined that they are most closely related to black-capped marmots who live on the other side of the former Bering Land Bridge.
This species is active about four months a year and takes at least three years to reach sexual maturity. The female becomes sexually mature at an age of 3 years. Breeding take always places in the burrow before spring emergence. This is probably an adaptation to the arctic conditions as well as the short duration of its annual activity.
The Alaskan Marmot spends a great deal of its life in hibernation (approximately eight months per year) and entire colonies will over winter in the same den. Colonies spread out somewhat during the summer months and make use of several burrows, each of which is relatively permanent (at least twenty years). A characteristic of the winter dens is that they are situated on exposed ridges. As a consequence they become free of snow comparatively early in spring, allowing M. broweri to emerge as early as possible. Animals usually emerge during the first two weeks of May.
The Alaskan Marmot is relatively small. Its body measures 55 to 60cm, with an additional 15-16cm tail. The average weight is only 3 to 4Kg. Colours: Usually black and white, occasional brownish tinges to the upper back. The feet are black or blackish brown, often with white markings on forefeet. The tail is very short.
Marmota caligata: Hoary or Rocky Mountain Marmot
M. caligata is one of the heaviest marmot species, weighing up to 9Kg and measuring up to 82cm with an additional 25cm tail. It has spotty grey fur sprinkled with black and white areas especially on the head and shoulders. Its latin name comes from its darkly couloured leg extremities - giving the appearance that it wears boots.
The eight sub-species of Hoary Marmot are distributed throughoutthe high pasture lands and the rocky slopes of Montana, Idaho, Washington state, Alaska, Yukon, and British Colombia. In locations where their ranges overlap with yellow-bellied marmots (e.g., Montana), hoary marmots are found at higher elevations. Additionally as latitude increases, marmots live at decreasing elevations, reaching sea level at the Berhing Strait.
The Hoary marmot is a very social creature, living in colonial groups, though the organisational structure varies geographically. In Alaska they live in monogamous social groups consisting of a pair of adults and sexually immature offspring. In the Rockies and Cascades, hoary marmots live in social groupings that resemble Olympic marmots (breeding male with two or three breeding females and non-breeding offspring from previous years). The dominant female lives with its young in a burrow, while the male and the non-breeding females inhabit a second burrow. Other young marmots inhabit a third burrow.
Hoary marmots are active about four and a half months each year. Entering hibernation at the beginning of September and hibernating till the end of April. Hoary Marmots reproduce once annually, immediately after emergence from hibernation. M. caligata is sexually mature at two years of age and adult females breed bi-annually. Litter sizes average three to four pups and are born towards the end of May and the beginning of June, with youngsters emerging from the burrow towards the end of July.
For marmots their home ranges are quite large (they can be over 10 hectares) and may wander around it for much of the day. Hoary marmots can be easily seen in Mt. Rainier National Park around both the Sunrise and Paradise Visitor Centers.
The main predators of this species are eagles and occasionally black bears, grizzlies and wolves Hoary Marmots often situate their burrows between rocks rather than in open ground to limit access to digging bears.
Marmota flaviventris: Yellow-Bellied Marmot
Yellow-bellied marmots are the most studied of all marmot species. They are also the most widely distributed, have the biggest range and live in the most variable habitats. Its range varies from the hot, dry and rocky sites (Oregon and Washington deserts) to the alpine environment of the Sierra Nevada and the south of the Rocky Mountains. When co-habiting an area with M. caligata it prefers to occupy lowland areas. The yellow-bellied marmot prefers open lands without trees and bushes, especially embankment, rocky outcrops and fallen rocks where it builds its burrows.
The eleven sub-species of Yellow-bellied marmots have a “harem-polygamous” social system where a male defends and mates with one or more females in a sub-alpine meadow. It is quite common that young female do not disperse and may settle around their mothers. Male pups invariably disperse as yearlings to try and find a territory and defend one or more females. Females first breed as two-year olds. Litter size averages around four pups, of which about half survive their first year.
Yellow-Bellied Marmots reproduce once a year during the two weeks following hibernation emergence.
The average age of females when they first reproduce is three. This changes to a reproductive cycle of 24 months for populations living above 3000m. Littering occurs during the first week of June after a thirty day gestation period. New-born pups stay in the burrow for thirty days, emerging at the beginning of July after a 35 day lactation period.
The duration of the hibernatory period fluctuates according the environment: In the Rocky Mountains populations (2900 m), hibernation starts mid-September and emergence from hibernation about the first week of May; in Sierra Nevada populations (1700-2000 m) , emergence of hibernation is earlier (beginning of April); in populations living in the lowlands, the onset of hibernation is mid-August and emergence at the end of February and at the beginning of March. The activity period of the species never exceeds five months.
Marmota flaviventris is a generalist hebivore. It eats herbs, flower-plants and seeds, but selects them according the season and not according their abundance. Herbs are eaten mainly in with flowers and seeds preferred later in the year. They drink almost no water, preferring to work with the mositure content found in their food.
M. flaviventris weighs 2 to 4.5Kg, has a body length of 47 to 70cm and a tail measuring 13 to 22cm. They have a light grey snout, with a white forehead and eyebrows. The top of the skull is dark, the neck is orange and their bellies are yellow-orange.Their main predators are the coyote and the eagle. Badgers, martens and weasels may also attack young marmots.
Marmota monax: Woodchuck or Groundhog
In its native habitat many farmers consider the nine sub-species of woodchuck to be a pest. They argue that it eats their plantings and interferes with haymaking. It is also considered a valuable game animal and is often trapped for its fur. In North America, the second of February is Groundhog Day. Traditionally, on that day the Groundhog wakes from hibernation and emerges from its burrow. If it sees its shadow it goes back in, and another six weeks of winter sets in. If no shadow is seen and the Groundhog emerges then it is considered as a good omen for a wonderful spring.
In agricultural zones, the woodchuck has very few enemies, but in other areas its main enemies are the fox, the coyote and the dog. Occasionally, woodchuck is preyed by large carnivorous animals suck as bear, wolf, lynx, bobcat and cougar.
Woodchucks are the least social of all marmots and are widely distributed from the south-eastern United States to Alaska in suitable forest edge habitats. Whilst their activity season usually lasts seven months, weather permitting, they may stay above ground for most of the year.
Usually the Woodchuck begins hibernation in October with the onset of colder weather (food is still plentiful at this time), and emerges again during February or March according to regional variations. This species hibernates for one of the shortest periods of all marmots and also hibernates alone. As it endures extremely harsh winter conditions it requires a very deep and well-insulated burrow as well as extensive fat reserves.
The Woodchucks themselves are a mid-sized marmot, weighing around 2 to 4.5Kg, a body length of 41 to 66 cm, with the tail adding a further 10 to 15cm. Their flattened heads and comparatively long ears distinguish them from other marmot species. Fur coloration is very variable, from yellowish to dark reddish brown with an intermediate brown being the most common shade. Coloured marks are usual as is a pale zone above the eyebrows.
M. monax usually inhabit plains, cultivated fields, clearings and deforested areas, avoiding wet or swampy zones. It is the least ecologically specialised of all the marmot species and also inhabits the widest geographical range. In the East United States, from Alabama to Georgia in the United States through Northern Québec and Ontario in Canada. In the West, it extends north to Alaska through the South Yukon and the Northern Territories in the north-west where it occupies relatively arid lowlands, and lives predominantly in loose soils along river valleys.
The Woodchuck is a herbivore eating a wide variety of wild plants, and sometimes feeding on cultivated fields, cereals, maize, fruits and garden vegetables. On rare occasions, it may take insects, snails and young birds.
Leading a solitary life the young marmots only know their mothers and usually disperse in the autumn following their birth. Being fiercely territorial, its home range extends up to three hectares around a number of summer burrows. ). It uses a single winter burrow usually sited in woody or bushy areas, deep enough to avoid the frost.
Breeding once a year, immediately after hibernation. Groundhog litters usually number between four and six pups and are born, after a thirty day gestation period, between March and May (usually May at higher latitudes). After a further five to six weeks, the pups are weaned and emerge from the burrow. They leave their mother at the beginning of July to find their own territories and reach sexual maturity at the end of their first year. Virtually all females breed annually.
There is very little interaction between adults except that mature males may mate with and number of females whose home ranges overlap their own.
Marmota olympus: Olympic Marmot
Endemic to the alpine areas of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, USA and the surronding national forest areas. The Olympic Marmot occupies sub-alpine and alpine meadows at elevations of 1500 to 2000m. It lives in the western areas of the Olympic National Park in about 500 colonies numbering approximately 4000 individuals. Though small this number is stable as the species lives only in the Olympic Massif where it has been protected since the founding of the Olympic National Park in 1938. This mountainous area is very wet with glaciers up to 200 m. The winters are long, wet and snowy with very hot and short summers.
Active for around four and a half months each year, the Olympic Marmot live in harems. Typically two or three adult females and their young live with a single breeding male. Adult females reportedly breed bi-annually. Litter sizes average four pups with only half the young surviving their first hibernation. The young marmots take at least three years to mature and disperse. There is no male dominance and interactions within a group are egalitarian and friendly.
As with other marmot species, the Olympic Marmot is herbivorous, feeding selectively on flowers and seeds with a preference for leaves. Its main predators are the brown bear puma, bobcat and eagle.
Olympic Marmots may vary considerably in weight – from 4 to 11Kg, though are sized from 68 to 78cm with an additional 20cm of tail. In terms of markings they have a pale snout which is dark underneath and a chestnut tail. This species is the only marmot to moult twice yearly (spring and summer. Its fur lightens during the early part of its season and becomes a yellowish colour during August.
Marmota vancouverensis: Vancouver Island Marmot
The Vancouver Island marmot is a critically endangered species restricted to alpine meadows of Vancouver Island, Canada.
Fewer than 100 are known to exist and the remnant wild populations seem to be declining. A captive breeding program has been started details of which are given later in this newsletter. Its goal is to provide marmots for future re-introductions aimed at expanding their range.
Vancouver Island marmots have a rich vocabulary of alarm calls and communicate with each other in a sophisticated way.
Marmot Behaviour
Feeding Behaviours
Marmots are essentially vegetarians but they do occasionally eat eggs, insects, grubs and possibly carcasses. During the breeding season they have a very varied diet consisting of meat, fruit, bread, roots, herbs, sprouts, maybugs and grasshoppers. They are quite fond of and they also enjoy butter. In a manner similar to other ground squirrels the marmot often eats in a sitting position using its forelimbs to grip and manipulate its food.
An important part of a Marmots dietary regime is Autocaecotrophy, or re-ingesting its own pellets. The animal sits on its back paws and removes its coecal content as it comes out of the alimentary canal. These pellets are different from regular faeces as they contain larger quantities of untreated proteins. Animals that are deprived of caecotrophs have their immune systems suppressed and disease resistance reduced.
Marmots are infrequently seen drinking, they generally make do with the water content of the plants they consume. This is usually compemented by morning and evening dew. Marmots lick the soil, especially in places where they find salt. Their need for salt is particularly important during the springtime. Indeed the licking of soils could possibly fight against diarrhoea brought on by their first intake of vegetables in the spring.
In a manner similar to Richardson’s ground squirrels, Marmots make use of external latrines close to the main burrow.
Relaxation & Grooming Behaviours
Grooming, licking, stretching, scratching and tail cleaning are important parts of a Marmots daily routine. It is quite common that Marmots become so engrossed in the act of cleaning that they will lose their balance and fall over onto their backs or sides. Marmots also enjoy basking in the Sun, where they lie down on their backs on a rock or other hard surfaces. Dust baths are also an important aspect of their grooming routine.
Altering their surroundings
Young marmots dig up hibernation burrows or burrows which are used as shelters. This form of activity requires an exceptional amount of energy and investment of time. Once constructed the burrows are then used over and over again by successive generations. Alterations and enlargements are also common.
In many cases these burrow systems become quite considerable and may be used for many tens of years. Once constructed Marmots families live together in these communal burrows. There are different types of burrows: hibernation burrows, secondary burrows and burrows which function as shelters.
Burrow Maintenance
Marmots are adept at collecting and transporting dried herbs to provide bedding in their burrow system. Collection and storage is mostly done at the beginning and end of the day. In the wild this material absorbs many of the Marmots waste products and is replaced twice yearly – in the spring & autumn.
Social Behaviour
Generally all Marmot species live in territorial family groupings, usually consisting of a pair of adults and younger marmots from succeeding litters. These are made up of a couple of adults and younger marmots’ from succeeding litters.
Marmots indulge in a great deal of mutual grooming practices and are generally considered to be soothing to all the individuals involved as well as reinforcing the bonds between them. Other common behavioural traits include – Play motions and Social games.
Play fighting is common practice between Marmots. Two individuals will stand erect on their hind paws, grip each other and then push each other away with their palms. In doing so they frequently cling to each other with their teeth.
Rough-and-tumble type motions often follow a boxing match. Here the animals jump on each other and roll around on the ground.
Other play motions include races or chasing behaviours. In this instance the animal being chased will frequently stop and wait for the other to catch up. Reinforcing the playful nature of things.
Marmots also frequently play with objects they come into contact with and can stay engrossed in such behaviours for many minutes or longer. Examples would be stones or blades of grass.
Mating Behaviours
The mating rituals and behaviours of marmots are difficult to observe as they usually occur a short time after their emergence from hibernation, when the climate is still harsh, making observation difficult. In addition to this, the majority of their mating rituals take place within the burrow systems, further complicating things.
Typically however the mating ritual follows the same basic pattern -
male courtship
the male chases the female
the male approaches the female
genital sniffing ensues
male-female play fighting
mounting attempts
female adopts a body postures and behaviour conducive to mating
Once the female has accepted the males advances, the male grasps the female with its forelegs, catches hold of the female by the scruff of its neck and bites its fur. Mating can then occur when the female arches her tail and holds it to one side. Female tolerance to male sexual behaviour is lower with non-reproductive females. This is borne out as genital sniffing by males which leads to attempted mounts are smaller in number when non-reproductive females are considered.
Approximately two weeks after emergence from hibernation reproductive females are decidedly less tolerant of male advances than before. Indeed as the mating season progresses sexual behaviours becomes more and more sporadic and adult males and females become much less closely associated with each other.
Parental Behaviours
Whilst they occur mainly within the burrow system itself, many mother-young interactions can be observed.
Suckling – This occurs mainly within the burrow system before the young are weaned.
Young Carrying – This is occasionally witnessed as the mother scurries from one burrow to another following a disturbance.
Also – in the first days following emergence the mother can be seen pushing the young pups back into the burrow with her nose.
Other Behaviours
Tail Posturing. When raised up and down it indicates excitement, as in other mammals. Flicking of the tail indicates a heightened level of excitation or excitement. When confronted with a theat the marmot arches its back. The hairs of its tail are erected and the tail flicks strongly.
Fighting behaviours begin in a similar manner to mock or play fights where the adult marmots rise on their hind legs and seem to box with one another, or try to push their partner over backwards. They often throw their heads backward and look straight up at the sky.
In hand to hand fighting two or more animals attack and fall over each other roll over on the ground, knocking themselves with their legs. They try to bite each other and emit loud shouts and growls. Such fights sometimes end with the death of one of the protagonists.
Perhaps as a consequence of their preparations for hibernation, antagonistic behaviours decrease markedly as the season progresses.
In the preparation of this extended article much use has been made of the various excellent resources available on the world wide web. In particular those related to ongoing research in the field of Marmots.
Particular use was made of the excellent texts available on the web at -
The Marmot Burrow at UCLA
The International Marmot Network
The Vancouver Island Marmot Pages
In another article in our archives. The Vancouver Island Marmot is a critically endangered species, though is now, thankfully, taking its first steps on the road to recovery.
You can read more on the excellent work being done at http://www.islandnet.com/~marmot/
In support of their work, The Vancouver Island Marmot Recovery Foundation is a registered charity and accepts donations via its 'Adopt A Marmot' facility on -
http://www.islandnet.com/~marmot/subdir/adoption.html
Marmot Recovery Foundation
Box 2332, Station “A”
Nanaimo, B.C.
CANADA V9R 6X9
Phone: (250)753-8080
Toll-free: 1-877-462-7668 (1-877-4MARMOT)
Fax: (250)753-8070
Email: marmot@islandnet.com
Charitable Organization #88998-0629-RR0001