Yellow-bellied Marmot
Marmota flaviventris
They spend up to 80% of their lives underground, including an 8-month hibernation period.
- Scientific name
- Marmota flaviventris
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Mammalia › Rodentia › Sciuridae › Marmota
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Alpine and subalpine meadows, talus slopes, rocky outcrops, and open forest edges.
- Diet
- Herbivorous, feeding on grasses, herbaceous plants, flowers, seeds, and occasionally insects.
- Range
- North America, Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada, Great Basin
- Size
- Length: 47-70 cm (18.5-27.5 in); Weight: 1.6-5.2 kg (3.5-11 lb).
- Lifespan
- Up to 13-15 years in the wild.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Predation by coyotes, eagles, and badgers; climate change altering alpine vegetation and snowpack patterns.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless but defensive if cornered. Observe from a safe distance of 15-20 feet. Do not feed, as they can bite if provoked and carry fleas that may transmit sylvatic plague. If bitten, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical evaluation.
The yellow-bellied marmot ( Marmota flaviventris ), also known as the rock chuck , is a large, stout-bodied ground squirrel in the marmot genus. It is one of fourteen species of marmots, and is native to mountainous regions of southwestern Canada and western United States, including the Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada, and Mount Rainier in the state of Washington, typically living above 6,500 feet (2,000 m). The fur is mainly brown, with a dark bushy tail, yellow chest and white...
Photo: Alan Vernon, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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