Hoary Marmot
Marmota caligata
Often called the 'whistler' due to its high-pitched warning cry, which alerts the entire colony to approaching predators.
- Scientific name
- Marmota caligata
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Mammalia › Rodentia › Sciuridae › Marmota
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- tundra
- Habitat
- Alpine meadows, talus slopes, and rocky scree fields.
- Diet
- Herbivorous; grasses, sedges, herbs, lichens, and flowering plants.
- Range
- Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia, Washington, Montana, Idaho
- Size
- 60-80 cm in length; 3.6-9 kg in weight
- Lifespan
- 13-15 years in the wild
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Climate change reducing alpine habitat, and predation by eagles, wolves, and bears.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless but defensive if cornered. Maintain a safe distance of at least 15 feet to avoid disrupting their foraging. Do not feed them, as they can bite if hand-fed. If bitten, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention.
The hoary marmot ( Marmota caligata ) is a species of marmot that inhabits the mountains of northwest North America. Hoary marmots live near the tree line on slopes with grasses and forbs to eat and rocky areas for cover.
Photo: Braden J. Judson, CC0, via iNaturalist
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