Key Takeaways
| Fact | Description |
| Scientific Name | Marmota himalayana |
| Common name | Himalayan marmot |
| Habitat | Short grass steppes, or in alpine habitats in altitude of 3,000 to 5,500 m (9,800 to 18,000 feet). |
| Distribution | The high-altitude regions of the Himalayas and Tibetan plateau |
| Diet | Herbivorous, plants that grow in pastures |
| Length | 45 to 67 cm (or 18 to 26 in) |
| Weight | 4 and 9.2 kg (or 8.8 to 20.3 pounds) |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
Introduction
The Himalayan marmot, scientifically known as Marmota himalayana, is a unique creature that calls the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas and Tibetan plateau home.
Habitat and Distribution
The Himalayan marmot is a special animal that lives high up in the mountains. You can find it in the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau, where it lives at altitudes of 3,000 to 5,500 m (9,800 to 18,000 feet). This marmot can be found in many places, including northeastern Pakistan, northern India, Nepal, Bhutan, and China.
The Himalayan marmot lives in short grass steppes, or in alpine habitats. These marmots like to live above the line where trees stop growing, but below the line of where snow never melts.
Physical Characteristics
The Himalayan marmot has a dense woolly fur that is rufous grey on the back and rufous yellowish on ears, belly and limbs. The bridge of its nose and end of tail is dark brown.
This marmot is one of the biggest marmots in the world. It’s about the size of a large housecat. It weighs between 4 and 9.2 kg (or 8.8 to 20.3 pounds). Its weight is lowest in the spring after it wakes up from its long winter nap, or hibernation, and highest in the fall right before it goes into hibernation. In the fall, it usually weighs more than 7 kg (or 15 pounds) for both males and females.
This marmot measures about 45 to 67 cm (or 18 to 26 in) in length. Its tail is between 12 and 15 cm (or 4.7 to 5.9 inches) long.
Diet
The Himalayan marmot are herbivores. They love munching on the plants that grow in pastures. Its favorite parts to eat are the soft and juicy parts of grassy plant species and flowering species.
Behavior
The Himalayan marmot is a social animal that lives in groups called colonies. These marmots are expert diggers and they create deep burrows, which are like underground homes. These burrows are shared by all the members of the colony when it’s time for their long winter nap, or hibernation.
These burrows can be anywhere from 2 to 10 m (6.6 to 32.8 feet) deep. They can dig this deep if the top layer of soil is light and deep enough, like fluvioglacial, deluvial, and alluvial deposits.
In places where the soil conditions are just right on alluvial terraces, you can find marmot colonies with up to 30 families. In an area that’s about 1 km (or 0.6 miles) big, you might find up to 10 families living together.
Hibernation
The Himalayan marmot hibernate from the end of fall to the start of spring. On average, hibernation lasts for about 7 and a half months.
Reproduction
Himalayan marmots are usually monogamous, but sometimes, the female might have more than one male. They have their offsprings in February and March. After about one month, the female marmots give birth to anywhere from 2 to 11 offsprings.
The females take care of their babies in their burrows for about 15 days after they’re born. Once the offsprings are weaned, or stop drinking their mommy’s milk, and come out of the burrow, they quickly learn to take care of themselves. They even start looking for their own food!
By the time females reach two years old, they’re mature enough to reproduce.
Conservation Status
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Himalayan marmot is currently listed as ‘Least Concern’. This means that they are not currently in danger of extinction.
References:
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalayan_marmot
- Animalia: https://animalia.bio/himalayan-marmot