Yellow-Bellied Marmot

rodent · mountain-dweller · hibernator · social

Mountain Home. Yellow-bellied marmots live high up in the Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada, and other western mountain ranges, usually above 2,000 metres where it's cold and rocky.

Spotted Appearance. These sturdy ground squirrels have brown fur, a dark bushy tail, a bright yellow chest, and a white patch between their eyes that makes them easy to recognize.

Colony Life. Yellow-bellied marmots are super social and live together in underground burrow colonies of up to twenty individuals, working as a tight-knit community.

Long Sleep. They hibernate for about eight months starting in September, curling up in their burrows for the entire winter to survive the freezing cold.

Varied Diet. These marmots eat plant material like grass and roots, but also munch on insects and bird eggs to get extra protein.