Marmots Climate Research

Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles measure a marmot Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, in Gothic, Colo.

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Move over bears. Fat Marmot Week puts a spotlight on the alpine rodents

Move over bears. Fat Marmot Week puts a spotlight on the alpine rodents

Fat Marmot Week is coming soon. Last winter was tough for the groundhog-like rodents living in the Colorado mountains. Researchers say there wasn't enough snow to keep marmots' burrows warm while they hibernated, causing many of the animals to freeze to death. The marmots that survived are doing well. They've fattened up, gaining the critical weight they need to make it through next winter. To drum up interest in their work, marmot researchers are launching an online contest for the public to vote for their favorite critter — Fat Marmot Week. It begins Monday.