1. Vancouver Island Marmots
By Bellla Smith
Computers 8
December 2010

2. Table of Contents What is a Vancouver Island Marmot? Appearance
History
Habitat
Diet and predators
Family and Behaviour
Why are there so few of them?
Mukmuk
Collage
Bibliography

3. What is a Vancouver Island Marmot?
Species of marmot
Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Very endangered
Less than 100 in wild
Bred in captivity for species to increase
One of five rarest animals worldwide

4. Appearance Size of large domestic cat
Chocolate brown with paler muzzle
Often white hairs on forehead, chin and undersides
Males larger than females
Average weight 3.5 kg (8 lb.).
Newborns dark coat
Don't molt yearly

5. History Discovered 1911 by scientists
Species evolved from hoary marmots
Sea levels fell; pathway to island
Marmots crossed over
Glaciers melted, sea levels rose, isolating island
years ago began evolution
Adapted to habitat

6. Habitat Vancouver Island Alpine and subalpine meadows
Need large boulders for look-out rocks
Burrows
At least 1000 metres

7. Diet and Predators Herbivores Eat many plants - Herbs, forbs
- Alpine flowers
Predators include:
- Cougars, wolves
- Golden Eagles

8. Family and Behavior Small colonies, under five adults
Hibernate six months
Sit/lie on boulders, logs, and stumps
Little time spent feeding
Come out early morning/ late afternoon
Bound like squirrels, good climbers
Whistle/trill to communicate

9. Why Are They So Endangered?
Causes of endangerment
- Humans
- Weather
- Predators
- Disease
- Localized habitat

10. Mukmuk Mascot for 2010 Olympic Winter Games
Chinook word “muckamuk” means eat
Qualities of real Vancouver Island marmot
Made into
- Stuffed animals, shirts, bags, blankets, slippers
- Posters, Olympic books
- Pins

11. Collage

12. Bibliography