Move over bears. Fat Marmot Week puts a spotlight on the alpine rodents
GOTHIC, Colo. (AP) — Fat Marmot Week is coming soon. Last winter was tough for the groundhog-like rodents living in the Colorado mountains. Researchers say there wasn’t enough snow to keep marmots’ burrows warm while they hibernated, causing many of the animals to freeze to death. The marmots that survived are doing well. They’ve fattened […]
Gothic, Colorado is gearing up for an unusual celebration - Fat Marmot Week. The week-long event aims to highlight the plight of marmots, a species of ground squirrel that inhabits the alpine regions of Colorado. Researchers have observed that last winter was particularly harsh for these rodents. Due to a lack of snow, their burrows weren't insulated enough to keep them warm during hibernation, leading to a high mortality rate among the population.
Despite this, the survivors have made a remarkable recovery. They have put on significant weight, accumulating the necessary reserves to survive the upcoming winter. The researchers are leveraging this situation to engage the public in their work. To kick off Fat Marmot Week, they are initiating an online contest where the general public can vote for their favorite marmot. The contest kicks off Monday.
Written by urgent.news from Mongabay's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
