First ever Fat Marmot Week to kick off in effort to raise money for research
Researchers hope contest – similar to Fat Bear Week – starting Monday will be latest wildlife watching craze
TL;DR
- Fat Marmot Week, a new event inspired by Fat Bear Week, has begun.
- The event aims to raise money for research at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, Colorado.
- Last winter's lack of snow cover caused significant mortality among hibernating marmots.
- Researchers have been studying individual mammals at the lab since 1962.
- Funding cuts have impacted the research program, prompting this fundraising initiative.
- Marmots undergo extreme weight gain for hibernation and lose significant weight during the process.
- Yellow-bellied marmots in the Rocky Mountains are known for their distinct personalities and social behaviors.