Field Notes: YELLOW-BELLIED MARMOT
Yellow-bellied Marmot near parking lot. This one kept trying to crawl into the underside of my car.
Yellow-bellied Marmot posing
The Yellow-bellied Marmot is found in western North America. It is essentially the western equivalent of the Woodchuck (groundhog). It is of a similar build to the Woodchuck but has a yellowish underside. Instead of living in grassy fields the Yellow-bellied Marmot lives in mountains in rocky areas.
The Marmots I encountered in the Rocky Mountains were so used to people they had no fear. They would come up within a foot, going about their business as if you weren't even there, with one exception. One particular Marmot kept scurrying under my car trying to crawl into the underside of it. It was a bit of an effort assuring it wasn't there before I drove off.
Yellow-bellied Marmot
Yellow-bellied Marmot with tail pointing upward
Yellow-bellied Marmot grooming
Yellow-bellied Marmot after grooming
A Yellow-bellied Marmot that crawled right up beside me
Yellow-bellied Marmot standing in the wind
Yellow-bellied Marmot
Yellow-bellied Marmot staring me down. Shortly afterwards it tried crawling into the underside of my car