Yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) The yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) is similar to a larger squirrel and lives in steppes,

alpine pastures, pebbled terrain, and at the edge of coniferous forests west of the United States of America and South- est !anada" #here are a great man$ marmots that live in the %oc&$ Mountains on altitudes as high as '((()*(( m and in Sierra +evada" Adult marmots have ,---( cm in length, .,/-, &g in weight and .'-'' cm in tail length" Males are alwa$s larger than females and weigh more" 0n winter, marmots reach their highest weight, because of the fat the$ develop to protect them from the cold and to help them during hibernation" #he$ have large e$es, positioned on the sides of the head, blac& e$es, small, round and furr$ ears, short limbs, which end with long fingers with sharp claws, the fur from their hinds is gre$ish brown, and $ellowish brown on the ventral side with white patches" #hese marmots live in small famil$ groups, formed of one dominant male and '-) females" #he$ are active especiall$ in the morning and in late afternoon, the rest of the time the$1re either asleep or bus$ with their personal toilet and of other members of their group" #heir food consists of plants, leaves, seeds, fruits, weeds, vegetables, cereals, bird eggs, and rarel$ insects" #he males are highl$ territorial, the$ establish a perimeter of '-) ha and don1t allow other intruders to approach" #he female builds shelter in deep burrows, lined with grass, where the$ give birth to )-/ cubs after gestating for a month, after which the$ are breastfed for '-) wee&s, and then weaned" #he period in which the cubs are born coincides with ma$ and 2une" Young marmots 3 males and females ali&e 3 reach se4ual maturit$ at the age of two" Young males sta$ with their mother until the age of two, after which the$ leave the group and see& new territor$ to form their own group" #heir primal enemies are bears, badgers, owls, co$otes, wolves, fo4es, and humans" #o defend against predators the$ dig deep burrows, . m deep, with several entrances, and at the slightest sign of danger the$ warn themselves with specific sounds and hide themselves inside" 5uring winter, the$ remain hidden in burrows up to /-- m in depth and .(--( in length" #heir life e4pectanc$ is .)-./ $ears" #he $ellow-bellied marmot is part of the %odentia order, Sciurudae famil$" 0t is not an endangered species