Hoary Marmot

Hoary Marmot

Taxobox
name = Hoary Marmot
status = LR/lc | status_system = IUCN2.3



image_width = 180px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Rodentia
familia = Sciuridae
genus = "Marmota"
subgenus = "Petromarmota"
species = "M. caligata"
binomial = "Marmota caligata"
binomial_authority = (Eschscholtz, 1829)

The hoary marmot ("Marmota caligata") is a species of marmot that inhabits the mountains of northwest North America. The largest populations are in Alaska. In the northern part of that state they may live near sea level. Hoary marmots live near the tree line on slopes with grasses and forbs to eat and rocky areas for cover. It is the largest North American ground squirrel and is often nicknamed "the whistler" for its high-pitched warning issued to alert other members of the colony to possible danger. The animals are sometimes called "whistle pigs." Whistler, British Columbia, originally London Mountain because of its heavy fogs and rain, was renamed for these animals to help make it more marketable as a resort. [ [http://www.britishcolumbia.com/regions/towns/?townID=3379 BritishColumbia.com] - Whistler, British Columbia]

The "hoary" in their name refers to the silver-grey fur on their shoulders and upper back; the remainder of the upper parts are mainly covered in reddish brown fur. The underparts are greyish. They have a white patch on the muzzle and black feet and lower legs.

These animals hibernate 7 to 8 months a year in burrows that they excavate in the soil, often among or under boulders. Mating occurs after hibernation and 2 to 4 young are born in the spring. Males establish "harems," but may also visit females in other territories. Predators include golden eagles; grizzly and black bears; and wolves.

Unlike most animals their size, hoary marmots are not shy around humans. Rather than running away at first sight, they will often go about their business while being watched.

Gallery

References


*Carling, M. "Marmota caligata" (hoary marmot)." Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan. 1999. [http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Marmota_caligata.html]
*IUCN2006|assessors=Cook|year=1996|id=42456|title=Marmota caligata|downloaded=12 May 2006
*ITIS|ID=180139|taxon=Marmota caligata|year=2006|date=18 March
*Thorington, R. W. Jr. and R. S. Hoffman. 2005. Family Sciuridae. Pp. 754-818 "in" Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Hoary marmot — Conservation status Least Concern ( …   Wikipedia

  • hoary marmot — ☆ hoary marmot n. a marmot (Marmota caligata) found in the mountains of NW North America …   English World dictionary

  • hoary marmot — žilasis švilpikas statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Marmota caligata angl. hoary marmot vok. eisgraues Murmeltier rus. седой сурок pranc. marmotte grise ryšiai: platesnis terminas – švilpikai …   Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas

  • hoary marmot — noun large North American mountain marmot • Syn: ↑whistler, ↑whistling marmot, ↑Marmota caligata • Hypernyms: ↑marmot …   Useful english dictionary

  • hoary marmot — a large marmot, Marmota caligata, living in mountainous areas of Siberia and northwestern North America and having a heavy, yellow gray body, short black limbs, and black and white head and shoulders. [1775 85] * * * …   Universalium

  • hoary marmot — noun A small rodent of the species Marmota caligata. Syn: whistler, whistling marmot …   Wiktionary

  • Hoary — may refer to: *hoary, white or grey with age *Hoary bat, a hairy tailed bat (genus Lasiurus) in the family of vesper bats (Vespertilionidae) *Hoary catshark, a cat shark of the family Scyliorhinidae found in the western central Atlantic from the… …   Wikipedia

  • Marmot — For other uses, see Marmot (disambiguation). Marmot Temporal range: Late Miocene–Recent Yellow bellied Marmot in Yosemite National Park Scientific c …   Wikipedia

  • marmot — /mahr meuht/, n. 1. any bushy tailed, stocky rodent of the genus Marmota, as the woodchuck. 2. any of certain related animals, as the prairie dogs. [1600 10; < F marmotte, OF, appar. n. deriv. of marmotter to mutter, murmur (referring to the… …   Universalium

  • marmot — A woodchuck or groundhog; a hibernating rodent that may serve as reservoir host of plague bacillus in North America. [Fr. marmotte] * * * mar·mot mär mət n any of various stout bodied short legged burrowing rodents (genus Marmota) with coarse fur …   Medical dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”