Mammals
Yellow-bellied Marmot
Marmota flaviventris · also called rockchuck
Stretched out on a sun-warmed boulder above an alpine meadow, a yellow-bellied marmot keeps watch over its colony, ready to whistle a warning at the first shadow of an eagle.
Overview
The yellow-bellied marmot, Marmota flaviventris, is a Least Concern rodent native to the mountains of western North America. Its sunbathing habit, whistled alarms, and long hibernation make it one of the most recognisable mountain mammals of the American West.
A year mostly spent asleep
For much of the year the yellow-bellied marmot is hibernating underground, leaving only a short summer window to eat and fatten up for the next winter.
Status
Least Concern, widespread and common across suitable mountain and meadow habitat.
Yellow-bellied Marmot: common questions
Why is it called the yellow-bellied marmot?
It has a yellowish to orange underside beneath its brown back, a feature that gives the species its name.
How long does the yellow-bellied marmot hibernate?
It spends the long mountain winter, often most of the year, hibernating in its burrow.
Why do marmots whistle?
They give sharp whistles to warn others in the colony about predators such as eagles and coyotes.
Where is the yellow-bellied marmot found?
It is native to rocky mountain and meadow habitat across the mountains of western North America.