Marmota Caligata (Rodentia: Sciuridae)

Abstract

Marmota caligata (Eschscholtz, 1829), a large ground squirrel commonly called the hoary marmot, is 1 of 15 species of extant marmots. It is distributed in western North America from Alaska and Canada south to Washington and Montana and is found at elevations ranging from sea level to 2,500 m. M. caligata prefers alpine and subalpine boulder piles and talus slopes surrounded by meadows. The species is listed as “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, although populations of Montague Island and Glacier Bay are of conservation concern by the State of Alaska.