COLORADO — Voting opens Aug. 24 for the yellow-bellied marmot that gained the most weight this summer
Marmots are having a moment. Weighing up to roughly 11 pounds, these creatures use a variety of grasses and leaves across Colorado's Alpine Tundra.
Each year, marmots burrow deep into the soil beneath boulders, where they can lose half of their summer weight during hibernation throughout the winter, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory will kick off its first-ever Fat Marmot Week in less than a week, inspired by the famous "Fat Bear Week."
The goal is to get people excited about yellow-bellied marmots.
Visitors can vote on which marmot they think gained the most weight this summer on the laboratory's website. Voting opens Aug. 24.
The marmots are named after the fur marks researchers use to identify them. The contestants are:
- 1
- Stonehenge
- Dawn
- Open Kite
- Citroen
- Dan's Hat
___
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
___
Right to Hunt and Fish? Amendment 83
____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
