Marmots have returned to Mount Washington.
Five marmots were released to the wilds of Mount Washington today (June 24) to spend the summer exploring the landscape.
Four males and one female were released, named Gob, Mungbean, Tobais 2, Shimmer and Nova 2.
Volunteers took marmots in their cages on backpacks down to the release station and each marmot took its turn being loaded into the enclosure. After spectators waited on the sidelines for approximately 10 minutes, the first marmot started to make its way out to investigate.
The Vancouver Island marmot is one of the largest members of the squirrel family (about the size of a large house cat). Other members of the Sciuridae family include chipmunks, squirrels and woodchucks.
The marmot is also a critically endangered mammal in Canada and is a species unique to Canada; it does not occur in any other country.
Vancouver Island marmots live in family groups called colonies and hibernate below ground from mid-September until late April or early May. Hibernation permits the marmots to survive the long alpine winters when food is not available.
Tomorrow, five more marmots will be released on Mt. Washington and a further 30 will be helicoptered into the Nanaimo Lakes area in the upcoming weeks.
