and Natalie Gibson
Why is the Vancouver Island Marmot Endangered?
The Vancouver Island Marmot is endangered because their habitat is being destroyed by the development of ski slopes. Also, because colonies of marmots are isolated on mountains. The Vancouver Island Marmot is protected by the British Columbia Wildlife Act.
Description:
The Vancouver Island Marmot is a member of the squirrel family. The Vancouver Island Marmot ranges from a buffy grey to a grizzled grey. It has short, chunky legs, thick fur, small ears and a bushy tail. They vary in weight from 4 to 20 lbs and they grow to be 15 to 30 inches.
Habitat:
They hibernate in mid September for 4 to 8 months. They burrow and live in rock piles. Marmots rarely leave the safety of thier burrow. Marmots live in small groups in alpine and subalpine areas.
Predators:
The predators of the Vancouver Island Marmot include the Golden Eagle, coyotes, badgers, foxes and humans. The marmot signals danger by shrill calls.
Young:
The female marmot gives birth to a litter of usually 3 young. The gestation period is about one month. They breed every other year. The Vancouver Island Marmot reaches sexual maturity at the age of three.
We got our information from:
http://wwwnais.ccm.emr.ca/
schoolnet/issues/risk/mammals/
emammal/vanimrmt.html
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