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Project Noah Nature School
Marmota flaviventris
Yellow-bellied marmots are large, ground-squirrel type rodents. Their alarm calls are sharp loud whistles that hikers may hear before they see the animal. This particular marmot lives near the Rock Cut parking area on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.
From Wikipedia: "The yellow-bellied marmot lives in the western United States and southwestern Canada, including the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada. It inhabits steppes, meadows, talus fields and other open habitats, sometimes on the edge of deciduous or coniferous forests, and typically above 6,500 feet (2,000 m) of elevation."
Our dogs were extremely interested in watching these animals...not surprising as wild dogs such as wolves, coyotes, and foxes are predators of marmots. They may also be taken by large raptors.
Spotted on Jun 11, 2011
Submitted on Jun 12, 2011
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