Fat Marmot Week, an event beginning Monday, is being held to celebrate the rodents and draw attention to the need for donations to support ongoing research at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, Colorado. Scientists are seeking funds to continue their decades-long study of yellow-bellied marmots, which has faced challenges due to federal funding cuts.
Marmots are cat-sized, furry ground squirrels found in North America, Europe, and Asia. The species studied in the Rocky Mountains, Marmota flaviventris, are known for their presence in areas frequented by hikers. These animals exhibit varied social behaviors, with some living in colonies and others preferring solitude. Researchers can sometimes identify individual marmots by their distinct behaviors. While some marmots are wary of researchers' attempts to study them, others are more easily observed or trapped.
Marmots are known for their deep hibernation, during which their body temperature can drop significantly, to around 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius). To prepare for this extended period of dormancy, they significantly increase their body weight, sometimes doubling it, only to lose this weight during hibernation. This process leaves them considerably leaner when they emerge in the spring.
Last winter's inadequate snowpack in the Colorado mountains presented a significant challenge for marmot populations. Researchers believe that the lack of insulating snow cover led to insufficient warmth in their hibernation burrows, resulting in a substantial die-off. More than half of one observed marmot population reportedly perished due to the cold conditions. This phenomenon is linked to broader climate change impacts, as the region experienced record-low snowpack attributed to human-caused warming.
The research project in Gothic, initiated in 1962, is one of the longest-running studies of individual mammals globally. It is a collaborative effort involving researchers from UCLA and the University of Ottawa. The study has observed other ecological changes, including a decline in pollinators and shifts in vegetation. The impact of reduced snowmelt also has downstream consequences for water availability in the Colorado River, affecting communities and agriculture.
To address funding shortfalls, Fat Marmot Week employs creative fundraising strategies. Beyond the online event, researchers have utilized platforms like OnlyFans to share marmot content, which indirectly led to the creation of a cryptocurrency, $OnlyMarms. Transaction fees from this cryptocurrency have already contributed approximately $100,000 to the research program. The team aims to secure over $200,000 in funding to ensure the continuation of their work through the next summer season, emphasizing the need for novel approaches to secure financial support and community engagement.