Yellow-Bellied Marmots: Yosemite’s Groundhog

Yellow-Bellied Marmot Facts:

• Yellow-Bellied Marmots are also known as “Rock Chucks!”
• Marmots are mammals with grizzled brownish fur, a yellow belly, and a whitish spot between the eyes.
• Marmot’s omnivore diets usually consist of grass, leaves, flowers, fruit, grasshoppers, and bird eggs.
• Marmots usually weigh between 5 and 11 pounds when fully grown.
• Marmot weight fluctuates through the year, with a huge gain in weight before hibernation.
• Marmots inhabit Yosemite’s high country, usually at elevations above 6,500 feet.
• Marmots often live in small colonies, which means if you see one, stop hiking, remain quiet, and wait to see some more!
• Marmot colonies consist of groups of about 10 to 20 Yosemite groundhogs.
• Marmots have what is called “harm-polygynous” which means the male defends and provides for 1-4 mates at the same time.
• Marmots choose to dig burrows under rocks because predators are less likely to see their burrow.
• Marmots warn others of predators nearby by emitting a shrill whistle, which is how they get the nickname “Whistle Pig.”
• Marmots hibernate in the winter, remaining in their burrows from September to May.