Yellow-bellied Marmot

Yellow-bellied Marmot, Marmota flaviventris

The Yellow-bellied Marmot is a hibernating, thickset rodent found within the Sciuridae family alongside Prairie Dogs and Ground Squirrels. They can be found from Colorado westward, and north to the southern portions of Canada. In general, the elevation of their habitat is higher the further south in the range they are found. Much like other communal rodents, the yellow-bellied marmot has an alarm call system which is used when a potential threat is observed. The sound may be a chuck, trill, or whistle and varies depending on the stimulus. The alarm is set off once that particular individual is back at their burrow minimizing the risk involved in sounding the alarm.