A medium-sized marmot endemic to Olympic National Park.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The Olympic marmot is a rodent in the squirrel family, Sciuridae. It occurs only in the U.S. state of Washington, at the middle elevations of the Olympic Peninsula. The closest relatives of this species are the hoary marmot and the Vancouver Island marmot. In 2009, it was declared the official endemic mammal of Washington state.
Source: Wikipedia — Olympic marmot Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Large marmot with gray-brown coat; relatively short tail.
Similar species. Other Marmota species (hoary, yellow-bellied).
Voice. Loud whistles.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Grasses, sedges, flowers.
Behavior. Endemic to Olympic National Park (Washington). Population has declined; recovery efforts ongoing. State-protected.
§ Range
Olympic Peninsula, Washington
§ Habitat
Subalpine meadows
§ Threats
Climate change, predation.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the olympic marmot is currently classified as Near Threatened.
§ What helps
Support Olympic Peninsula conservation.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Olympic marmot
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Marmota olympus
- IUCN Red List · taxon 12824
- iNaturalist · taxon 46035
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Marmota olympus
§ Sources cited
- National Park Service Olympic
- American Society of Mammalogists
- IUCN Red List 2016
