A chunky, cheerful-looking rodent that’s found nowhere else in the world except the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State, USA. As one of the few mammals endemic to this region, it’s often called the “whistle pig” of the Pacific Northwest—and for good reason! Olympic marmots are known for their loud, high-pitched whistling calls, which they use to warn each other of danger or communicate across the alpine meadows where they live.

These marmots are part of the squirrel family, but they look more like fluffy groundhogs with thick, golden-brown fur and short, strong legs. They have bushy tails and chubby cheeks that give them a teddy bear vibe. One of the most charming things about Olympic marmots is that they spend most of their summer eating, playing, and sunbathing, and most of their year sleeping—yes, they hibernate for up to 8 months!

Olympic marmots live in high-altitude meadows and rocky slopes, where they dig deep burrows to escape predators and survive the cold winter months. These burrows can be over 6 feet deep and act as cozy underground shelters for entire marmot families. In summer, they emerge to munch on a wide variety of grasses, wildflowers, roots, and berries. You’ll often see them sitting upright like little sentinels, keeping watch while others in the group forage or nap nearby.

Marmot colonies are highly social. They live in extended family groups and engage in playful behavior like chasing, wrestling, and even what looks like mock boxing. Juvenile marmots, in particular, are incredibly fun to watch as they hop and tumble through the grass like fuzzy little comedians. But when danger approaches—usually in the form of a coyote, eagle, or sometimes even a hiker—they sound the alarm with a sharp, echoing whistle that causes the whole colony to dive into their burrows.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

United States

2,000 – 4,000

Official estimate

LC

2016

Washington