#marmots

An Alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) in Europe

It's summertime, and the hoary marmot has a summer bod to beat 'em all! As North America's largest ground squirrel, they can double their body weight in just a few months, going from 3.75 kg (8.3 lb) in May to 7 kg (15 lb) in September! The extra weight allows them to hibernate comfortably all through winter, which can last for 7-8 months in the northern reaches of their range.

A foundation trying to save a critically endangered species is celebrating a marmot milestone. The Marmot Recovery Foundation announced on its social media page that the population of the Vancouver Island species has reached a new high of 427 marmots. When its team first began releasing marmots to the wild in 2003, there were just 22 remaining, and its statement says there was a lot of doubt that the species could be saved. It says when the group released the first four of the beaver-like animals into the wild 22 years ago, three of them were eaten by cougars within weeks.

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Alta Vall del Ter (2) (3) by visol

Via Flickr:

Yellow-Bellied Marmot