Marmota flaviventris (Audubon and Bachman, 1841)

Yellow-bellied marmot

Species recognized by The Integrated Taxonomic Information System external link, T Orrell (custodian) in 
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC) external link Showing: scientific names

Media Center Navigation

Marmota flaviventris (Audubon and Bachman, 1841)

Images

Items in yellow are not reviewed.

Choose images

Marmota flaviventris
Marmota flaviventris (Audubon & Bachman, 1841)
Marmota flaviventris (Audubon & Bachman, 1841)
Marmota flaviventris (Audubon & Bachman, 1841)
Marmota flaviventris
Marmota flaviventris
Marmota flaviventris (Audubon & Bachman, 1841)
Marmota flaviventris (Audubon & Bachman, 1841)
Marmota flaviventris (Audubon & Bachman, 1841)

Page navigation

Page 1 Next
Classification : Text | Graphic |
  

Table of Contents

General Description

Description

Source and Additional Information
Supplier
Smithsonian's North American Mammals external link
Copyright
Some rights reserved external link
Project
Smithsonian Institution - North American Mammals external link
Source URL
View original data object external link

The Yellow-bellied Marmot has the thickset build characteristic of the genus. Its fur is relatively long and coarse, with buffy to yellowish hair running from the sides of the neck down along the chest. Because they favor herbaceous plants, their population density is often affected by the presence or absence of large grass-eating mammals. A moderate degree of grazing can increase the supply of the marmots' preferred herbs. Heavy grazing can reduce their food supply, if the grazing animals eat both grasses and herbs. Little or no grazing can also reduce the abundance of herbs because grasses out-compete herbs for space and soil nutrients. Yellow-bellied Marmots spend their summer days sunning (if the weather permits), grooming, and foraging. In hibernation, they depend for months on the fat stored in their bodies. Marmots that enter hibernation well-fattened have the best chance of surviving until spring.

Links:
Mammal Species of the World
Click here for The American Society of Mammalogists species account
References
  • Audubon, J. J., and J. Bachman, 1841.  Descriptions of new species of quadrupeds inhabiting North America, p. 29.  Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, series 1, 8:1-43.
"Marmota flaviventris (Audubon and Bachman, 1841)". Encyclopedia of Life, available from "http://www.eol.org/pages/327985". Accessed 21 Mar 2010.