Key Takeaways
| Fact | Description |
| Scientific Name | Marmota camtschatica |
| Family | Sciuridae |
| Habitat | Arctic tundra and alpine habitats |
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Weight | 1.65 and 5.4 kg (or 3.6 to 11.9 pounds). |
| Length | 39.5 to 61.5 cm (or 15.6 to 24.2 in) |
Introduction to the Black-Capped Marmot
The Black-capped marmot, or Marmota camtschatica, is a type of rodent. It’s part of the Sciuridae family and can only be found in Russian Far East. But its range is discontinuous and divided into three main parts, each with its own subspecies.
Habitat and Lifestyle
Black-capped marmot lives in places called arctic tundra and alpine habitats. These can be anywhere from right near to the sea all the way up to places as high as 2,000 meters (6,600 feet) above sea level.
Physical Characteristics
The Black-capped marmot isn’t a very big animal. From its head to the end of its body, it measures about 39.5 to 61.5 cm (or 15.6 to 24.2 in). It weighs between 1.65 and 5.4 kg (or 3.6 to 11.9 pounds).
This marmot has a beautiful coat of fur. The fur on its back is a grizzled yellowish-gray. Its underparts are a lovely shade of cinnamon or rusty brown. The limbs are rather paler while the tail is brownish-black. The upper part of the head is brownish-black, and this colour continues to the mid-back as a dorsal stripe.
Diet
Black-capped marmots are herbivores that feed on:
- Grasses
- Herbs
- Mosses
Social Behavior
Black-capped marmots live in colonies that are made up of many different burrows, kind of like underground homes. Each burrow is home to a pair of adult marmots and their offspring. A litter consists of five or six young but these stay in the family group for at least three years.
When it’s time to hibernate, the marmots all gather together in larger groups. They fill their sleeping room with lots of comfy bedding material, and even plug up the entrances.
Hibernation
Depending on which group they belong to, they can hibernate for a whopping 6 to 8 months every year. That is really long for a marmot.
Conservation Status
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species currently lists the black-capped marmot as “Least Concern”. This means that it is not currently considered to be at risk of extinction.
References:
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-capped_marmot
- Animalia: https://animalia.bio/black-capped-marmot