Marmots - Facts for Kids

Marmots sometimes stand on their hind legs while eating, which helps them keep watch for danger (predators) while they enjoy their meal.

A marmot’s front teeth are perfect for cutting through tough plant stems and roots.

Marmots do not store food for winter like some other rodents — instead, they rely entirely on their body fat during winter sleep (hibernation).

Conservation & Population

The Vancouver Island marmot faces extinction, with only about 250 left living wild on their mountain homes.

Habitat loss from human development is one of the biggest threats to marmot populations worldwide.

Farmers sometimes consider marmots pests because they can damage crops, but they play important roles in their natural environments (ecosystems).

Marmots help air out and fertilize (aerate) the soil through their digging and bathroom habits, improving plant growth.

Unique and Amazing Facts

The groundhog (Marmota monax), famous for Groundhog Day, is actually a type of marmot.

Marmots can run about 7 miles per hour (11 km/h) when escaping danger — about as fast as a quick jog!

The heaviest marmot ever recorded was a male hoary marmot, weighing 30 pounds (13.5 kg), about the size of a medium dog.

Marmots can lose up to 50% of their body weight during winter sleep (hibernation).

The Olympic marmot is found only in the Olympic Mountains of Washington state and nowhere else in the world.

The word ‘marmot’ comes from the Old French word ‘marmotte,’ which was derived from Latin ‘murem montis’ meaning ‘mountain mouse.'”

Marmots can swim if they need to — like crossing a little stream, cooling off, or scaring away a predator — but they don’t love the water.

Marmots dig with front feet that have four toes and climb or dig with back feet that have five toes — kind of like nature’s built‑in shovel and anchor!

One of the biggest marmot species is the gray marmot from Central Asia — it can grow up to 27 inches (70 cm) long including its tail!

Olympic marmots are the biggest marmots in the world! These fluffy mountain animals can weigh up to 11 kg (24 lb) — that’s as heavy as a small dog.

The hoary marmot gets its name from the silver-gray fur around its shoulders that looks like frost or “hoarfrost.”

In some countries like Mongolia, marmot fat has been traditionally used as medicine for treating burns and skin conditions.

Marmots mostly live on the ground and dig tunnels for a cozy home. But if they really need to — like to escape danger or reach some leaves — they can climb shrubs or even trees sometimes. They’re good diggers first, climbers second!

A marmot’s upper and lower front teeth (incisors) grow at slightly different rates to maintain their sharp, chisel-like cutting edge.