Vancouver Island Marmot

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Common Name: Vancouver Island Marmot

Scientific Name: Marmota vancouverensis

Status: Critically Endangered

The Vancouver Island Marmot is one of 14 marmot species worldwide and one of the most critically endangered mammals in the world, found only on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Unfortunately, there are very few left and since they, like all animals, are very important for their ecosystem, we must protect them!

Behaviour

Marmots spend most of their time above ground lounging on rocks. They also spend time eating, looking for food and interacting with other marmots. Marmots touch each others’ noses as a way of greeting and enjoy play fighting.

Habitat

Marmots live scattered in small patches of sub-alpine meadow. It is easy for them to get the forage they need, large boulders for locating predators and deep soil for digging burrows. Most marmot habitats are located high in the mountains, because summer is short and occasional winter avalanches keep trees away from growing in the meadow patches.

Diet

Vancouver Island Marmots are herbivores and eat a large variety of different plants. They eat well over 50 different species of grasses and wild flowers.

Families

Mating season is in May and pups are born soon after. Female marmots usually have a litter of 3-4 pups each year. Both females and males take care of the pups. Pups remain with their mother for their first year and hibernate together.

Threats

With a population of only 210 in the wild, the Vancouver Island Marmot is at a very high risk of extinction. Its habitat has been and still is being destroyed, as loggers are clear-cutting the only spots where they are capable of surviving. As their habitat becomes smaller and smaller, there is no room for all of them. This creates competition for food, shelter and a safe place to hide from predators. As more and more of their habitat is destroyed, their numbers decrease and unless we start taking action, they may very likely become extinct.

Fun Facts

1. Marmot burrows are 4m long by 1m deep.

2. Apart from during hibernation, marmots are only active for a few hours each day.

2. Marmots live for approximately 10 years.

3. Marmots live in small groups called colonies.