Olympic Marmot - Distribution and Habitat

Distribution and Habitat

Olympic marmots are native to the Olympic mountains in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. About 90% of Olympic marmots' total habitat is located in Olympic National Park, where they are often sighted, especially on Hurricane Ridge. Marmots are in decline in some areas of the park due to the encroachment of trees into meadows as well as predation by coyotes, and they are seldom seen in the wetter southwestern part.

Within the park, Olympic marmots inhabit burrows in lush sub-alpine and alpine meadows, fields, and montane scree slopes. Colonies of burrows are spread out in various locations of the mountains and differ in size; some meadows can contain as few animals as one marmot family, and some can have multiple families adding up to 40 marmots total. There is a higher risk of inbreeding and death from random events in meadows with fewer marmots, making migration essential to the survival of the species. Burrows can be found at various elevations, ranging from 920 m (3,020 ft) to 1,990 m (6,530 ft); they are most often found in the range of 1,500 m (4,900 ft) to 1,750 m (5,740 ft). Burrows are multi-purpose structures, used for hibernation, protection from bad weather and predators, and to raise newborn pups. Burrows are more frequently located on south-facing slopes, as the snowmelt on these makes flora more available. These regions generally receive 75 cm (30 in) of rainfall per year, with most of this precipitation falling in the form of snow. The Olympic marmot is well-adapted to its generally cold natural habitat, where there is snowfall almost every month of the year on the mountain slopes and barren grasslands. The home range of a family of marmots usually covers from half an acre to five acres (.2–2 hectares).