BC Conservation Data Centre: Species Summary
Marmota vancouverensis
Vancouver Island Marmot
| Scientific Name: | Marmota vancouverensis Swarth, 1911 | ||||||||||
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| English Name: | Vancouver Island Marmot | ||||||||||
| Classification / Taxonomy | |||||||||||
| Scientific Name - Concept Reference: | Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/. | ||||||||||
| Classification Level: | Species | ||||||||||
| Species Group: | Vertebrate Animal | ||||||||||
| Species Code: | M-MAVA | ||||||||||
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| Conservation Status / Legal Designation | |||||||||||
| Global Status: | G1 (Apr 2016) | ||||||||||
| Provincial Status: | S1 (Apr 2024) | ||||||||||
| BC List: | Red | ||||||||||
| Provincial FRPA list: | Y (May 2004) | ||||||||||
| Provincial Wildlife Act: | Endangered | ||||||||||
| COSEWIC Status: | Endangered (May 2019) | ||||||||||
| SARA Schedule: | 1 - Endangered (Jun 2003) | ||||||||||
| General Status Canada: | 1 - At Risk (2005) | ||||||||||
| Ecology & Life History | |||||||||||
| General Description: | |||||||||||
| Identification Comments: | This is the only marmot species on Vancouver Island. | ||||||||||
| Global Reproduction Comments: | There have been no comprehensive studies on the reproductive biology. In closely-related species, mating occurs above ground during the first 3 weeks after spring emergence, and the gestation period is 28-33 days (Nagorsen 1987). Observations suggest that M. VANCOUVERENSIS is essentially monogamous within a given reproductive season. Young first appear above ground in late June or July, probably disperse after two years; they do not breed until at least 3 years of age; mean age of first reproduction is probably closer to 4 years (Bryant 1990). Females generally produce young biennially or at greater intervals. However, one female produced young in consecutive years (Bryant 1990). Litter size at emergence varies between 2 and 5. At Haley Lake, Heard (1977) observed a mean size of 3.0 (n=5) and Milko (1984) observed means of 4.6 (n=5) in 1981 and 2.7 (n=6) in 1982. In his studies of four different colonies over 4 years, Bryant (1990) observed a mean litter size of 3.14 (n=13); colonies at "natural" sites had a mean litter size of 2.89 (n=9) and colonies at logging slash sites had a mean litter size of 3.60 (n=4). Fecundity (expressed as the total number of young produced per adult-female-year) was 0.96 at "natural" sites and 1.87 at slash sites. However, because of the high disappearance rate of adult females from slash sites, only 2 adult-female-years represented non-reproductive females, and thus the resulting fecundity rate is almost certainly overestimated. More research is obviously needed. Although the maximum age in the wild is at least six years, the average female lifelong reproductive contribution may be only two litters (Bryant 1990). | ||||||||||
| Provincial Reproduction Comments: | Mating occurs within the first few weeks after emergence from hibernation. The young are born in the underground burrow after a gestation period of 28-33 days (Nagorsen 1987). They emerge above ground in late June-early July. Females usually produce 3 young (range 2-5); they produce only 1 litter per year (Bryant 1996). Age at sexual maturity is 4 years; females rarely breed in consecutive years (Bryant 1996). | ||||||||||
| Global Ecology Comments: |
M. VANCOUVERENSIS is colonial. Colonies are relatively small and inhabit small habitat patches. Most are made up of one to three family units, and the average size before the young-of-the-year emerge is about 8 individuals (Bryant 1990, Heard 1977). Meta-populations of this species consist of a patchwork of colonies, each of which experiences periodic extinctions and recolonizations (Bryant and Janz 1996). Dispersal is a key ingredient of this pattern; the appearance of individual marmots in unusual habitats far from known colonies indicates that M. VANCOUVERENSIS is capable of extensive dispersal through forested lands (Munro 1985). Year-to-year persistence of family groups has been measured at 43% in natural sites and at 13% in logging slash sites (Bryant 1990). Most mortality apparently occurs during hibernation. Survivorship varied dramatically from year to year in Bryant's (1990) study, but a small sample size prevented any accurate determination of a mean rate. Predation on M. VANCOUVERENSIS has not been studied, but potential predators include CANIS LUPUS, MARTES AMERICANA, GULO GULO, FELIS CONCOLOR, URSUS AMERICANUS, BUTEO JAMAICENSIS, AQUILA CHRYSAETOS, ACCIPITER GENTILIS, and BUBO VIRGINIANUS (Heard 1977, Bryant 1990). The only ectoparasites identified thus far are THRASSIS SPENCERI SPENCERI, a common flea of the MARMOTA CALIGATA group (Holland 1985), an unidentified species of IXODES tick (Heard 1977), and an unidentified ear mite (Bryant 1990). Helminthes found include the nematode BALYISASCARIS LAEVIS (Mace and Shepard 1981) and the cestodes DIANDYRA COMPOSITA (known from all Nearctic MARMOTA except M. MONAX) (Rausch and Rausch 1971) and D. VANCOUVERENSIS (known only from M. VANCOUVERENSIS) (Mace and Shepard 1981). |
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| Provincial Ecology Comments: | Ecological research on this species (Milko 1984, Bryant 1996, Bryant and Janz 1996, Bryant 1998) is extensive and is ongoing including a major study at Mount Washington by Justin Brashares and Jeff Werner. Some habitat modelling has also been done. | ||||||||||
| Migration Characteristics: (Global / Provincial) | |||||||||||
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Nonmigrant: Local Migrant: Distant Migrant: Within Borders Migrant: |
Y / Y N / N N / N na / N |
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| Provincial Mobility & Migration Comments: | Heard (1977) estimated home ranges of ~0.02-0.05 sq. km for 4 animals at the Haley Bowl during his study in 1973 and 1974. Recent research by Jeff Werner at Mount Washington has revealed home ranges of 1.45 sq. km for males and 0.31 sq. km for females. Some of the animals moved several km over a few days. These home range estimates are the largest reported for any marmot species. Reasons are not clear but they may reflect low population densities (J. Werner, pers. comm.). Dispersing or introduced Vancouver Island Marmots abandoning a release site can move long distances (> 30 km), including through low elevation forest habitats. | ||||||||||
| Habitats: (Type / Subtype / Dependence) |
Alpine/Tundra / Alpine/Subalpine Meadow / Unknown
Anthropogenic / Industrial / Facultative - occasional use Anthropogenic / Urban/Suburban / Facultative - occasional use Grassland/Shrub / Meadow / Obligate Rock/Sparsely Vegetated Rock / Cliff / Facultative - frequent use Rock/Sparsely Vegetated Rock / Rock/Sparsely Vegetated Rock / Facultative - frequent use Rock/Sparsely Vegetated Rock / Talus / Facultative - frequent use |
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| Global Habitat Comments: |
Subalpine herbaceous communities with steep slopes support the largest populations (Nagorsen 1987). Common tree species in these communities are Abies lasiocarpa, Tsuga mertensiana, and Chamaecyparis nootkatensis; shrubs and herbs include Vaccinium spp., Luetkea pectinata, Alnus sinuata, Erigeron peregrinus, Rhododendron albiflorum, Phlox diffusa, Anaphalis margaritacea, Aster foliaceus, Lupinus arcticus, and Pteridium aquilinum (Heard 1977, Milko 1984). Preferred lush forb/grass meadows are relatively rare on Vancouver Island; they generally are restricted to steep, south-facing slopes where avalanches and snow creep inhibit the growth of trees (Nagorsen 1987). Fire also creates favorable meadow habitat on subalpine slopes. Most marmot occurrences are on south- and west-facing slopes (Bryant and Janz 1996). Colonies have also been found in coniferous forest, logging clearcut slash, road banks, and cleared ski runs. In fact, half of the world's M. vancouverensis were living in clearcuts in 1997, compared to about 25% in the mid-1980s and none prior to high elevation logging that began in the late 1960s. Individual marmots occasionally take up residence in valley-bottom gardens (Munro 1985). Marmots prefer areas with sufficient soil for burrowing, and with large rocks or stumps for burrowing under and for lookout sites. Burrows are usually below rocks in or near meadows. Young are born in underground burrows. |
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| Provincial Habitat Comments: | This species occupies southwest-west facing slopes at 1000-1460 m elevation in subalpine meadows (Janz et al. 1994). These sites have abundant forbs and graminoids and a sparse tree cover that does not impede this animal's ability to observe predators. Other critical habitat attributes are deep soil for burrows, scattered rocks or rock ledges for lookouts, and steep slopes that shed snow for early spring plant growth. The Vancouver Island Marmot also inhabits recent clearcut habitats at elevations as low as 730 m (Bryant and Janz 1996). However, clearcuts provide temporary habitat and become unsuitable with succession. Through the mid-late 1990's (Janz et al. 2000; Bryant 1998), about 58% of the Vancouver Island Marmot population was found in clearcut habitats. By 2004, there were no colonies occupying any of the clearcuts formerly used by marmots in the 1980's and 1990's. | ||||||||||
| Food Habits: |
Herbivore: Adult, Immature
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| Global Food Habits Comments: | Grasses and sedges are the most important food in early spring; forbs make up the bulk of the summer diet. Small fruits are also eaten. Seasonal changes reflect both the availability of plants and selection of species by marmots (Milko 1984). At the Haley Lake site, the most important plants are the forbs LUPINUS ARCTICUS, THALICTRUM OCCIDENTALE, LATHYRUS NEVADENSIS, CASTILLEJA MINIATA, C. HISPIDA, HERACLEUM LANATUM, PHLOX DIFFUSA, and various species of graminoids (Milko 1984). Does not store food for the winter, but accumulates body fat. | ||||||||||
| Provincial Food Habits Comments: | Food habits in the historical core area at Haley Lake and Gemini Peak were studied by Milko (1984) and Martell and Milko (1986). They reported that the diet was Timber Oat-grass, sedges and phlox in spring; the summer diet was forbs with lupine and Woolly Eriophyllum the major species eaten. No research has been done on food habits of Vancouver Island Marmots living in clearcuts. Jeff Werner and Justin Brashares are currently studying food habits of the Mount Washington population, a site with different habitat from the core area. | ||||||||||
| Global Phenology: |
Diurnal: Adult, Immature
Hibernates/aestivates: Adult, Immature |
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| Global Phenology Comments: | Hibernates from early October to early May. Data are insufficient to assess sex or age difference in the length of hibernating period (Nagorsen 1987) (Nagorsen 1987). Juveniles emerge from the burrow in late June or July (Heard 1977). Daily activity is bimodal with most activity in mornings and evenings. The bimodality is most evident in mid-summer; activity is reduced when temperatures exceed 20 C and the time spent in the burrow at midday is correlated directly with maximum daily temperature (Nagorsen 1987). |
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| Provincial Phenology: (1st half of month/ 2nd half of month) |
Jan: Present / Present
Feb: Present / Present Mar: Present / Present Apr: Present / Present May: Present / Reproducing June: Reproducing / Reproducing July: Active / Active Aug: Active / Active Sept: Active / Active Oct: Active / Present Nov: Present / Present Dec: Present / Present |
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| Provincial Phenology Comments: | The Vancouver Island Marmot is an obligate hibernator. The hibernation period extends from October to early May. | ||||||||||
| Colonial Breeder: | N | ||||||||||
| Length(cm)/width(cm)/Weight(g): | 70/ / 6500 | ||||||||||
| Elevation (m) (min / max): |
Global:
Provincial: 730 / 1460 |
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| Distribution | |||||||||||
| Endemic: | Y | ||||||||||
| Global Range Comment: | This marmot is endemic to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Historical and confirmed modern distribution records are confined to mountains in the central and southern part of the Island, with occurrence in natural habitat typically at elevations of 900-1,450 meters (Nagorsen 1987), although populations in clearcuts may extend to lower elevations. Occurrences are concentrated on a few mountain ridges in the Nanaimo-Cowichan Lake region of Vancouver Island, British Columbia (Vancouver Island Marmot Recovery Team 1990). There is some evidence that marmots have disappeared from some parts of their historical range, but huge areas of potential habitat have never been formally surveyed. Opinion is divided on the likelihood of discovering new, significant populations. | ||||||||||
| Authors / Contributors | |||||||||||
| Global Information Author: | CANNINGS, S. G. | ||||||||||
| Last Updated: | Mar 30, 2006 | ||||||||||
| Provincial Information Author: | Nagorsen, D. | ||||||||||
| Last Updated: | Mar 02, 2005 | ||||||||||
| References and Related Literature | |||||||||||
B.C. Ministry of Environment. Recovery Planning in BC. B.C. Minist. Environ. Victoria, BC. |
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Banfield, A. W. F. 1974. The mammals of Canada. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada. 438 pp. |
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Barash, D. P. 1989. Marmots: social behavior and ecology. Stanford Univ. Press, Stanford, California. xvii + 360 pp. |
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British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection. 2004. Vancouver Island Marmot in Accounts and measures for managing identified wildlife. British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Victoria, BC. 52pp. |
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Bryant, A. 2003. The Vancouver Island Marmot pages, home of the Vancouver Island Marmot recovery project. Online. Available: http://www.marmots.org/ |
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Bryant, A. A., and D. W. Janz. 1996. Distribution and abundance of Vancouver Island marmots (MARMOTA VANCOUVERENSIS). Canadian Journal of Zoology 74:667-677. |
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Bryant, A.A. 1990. Demography of Vancouver Island marmots (Marmota vancouverensis). Unpubl. final rep. |
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Bryant, A.A. 1990. Genetic variability and minimum viable populations in the Vancouver Island marmot. Minist. Environ. Design Thesis, Univ. Calgary, AB. |
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Bryant, A.A. 1996. Reproduction and persistence of Vancouver Island marmots (Marmota vancouverensis) in natural and logged habitats. Can. J. Zool. 74:678-687. |
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Bryant, A.A. 1998. Metapopulation ecology of Vancouver Island Marmots (Marmota vancouverensis). PhD. Thesis, Univ. Victoria, Victoria. 125pp. |
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Bryant, A.A. 2000. Relative Importance of Episodic Versus Chronic Mortality in the Decline of Vancouver Island Marmots. Pp. 189-195 in L.M. Darling, ed. 2000. Proc. Conf. on the Biology and Manage. Species and Habitats at Risk, Kamloops, B.C., 15-19 Feb., 1999. Vol. 1; B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Victoria, BC, and Univ. College of the Cariboo, Kamloops, BC. 490pp. |
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Bryant, A.A., and D. Janz. 1996. Distribution and abundance of Vancouver Island marmots (Marmota vancouverensis). Can. J. Zool. 74:667-677. |
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Bryant, A.A., and D.A. Blood. 1999. Vancouver Island Marmot. B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Wildl. Branch. 6pp. |
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COSEWIC. 2000. COSEWIC Assessment and Update Status Report on the Vancouver Island Marmot Marmota vancouverensis in Canada. Comm. on the Status of Endangered Wildl. in Can. Ottawa. vi+25pp. |
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COSEWIC. 2008p. COSEWIC assessment and update status report on the Vancouver Island marmot Marmota vancouverensis in Canada. Comiittee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. vii + 29pp. |
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Forest Practices Code. 1997. Vancouver Island Marmot in Species and Plant Community Accounts for Identified Wildlife: Vol. 1. B.C. Minist. For. and B.C. Environ. 184pp. |
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Fry, K.S., J.A. Morgan, and G.W. Smith. 1986. Vancouver Island marmot inventory - 1986. B.C. Minist Environ., Wildl. Branch, Victoria. |
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Hall, E. R. 1981a. The Mammals of North America, second edition. Vols. I & II. John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York. 1181 pp. |
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Heard, D.C. 1977. The behavior of Vancouver Island marmots, Marmota vancouverensis. M. Sc. Thesis. University of British Columbia, 129 pp. |
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Heard, D.C. 1977. The behavior of Vancouver Island marmots, Marmota vancouverensis. M.Sc. Thesis, Univ. B.C., Vancouver. 129pp. |
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Hebda, R.J., O. McDadi, and D. Mazzucchi. 2004. Habitat History and the Decline of the Vancouver Island Marmot (Marmota vancouverensis). In T.D. Hooper, ed. Proc. of the Species at Risk 2004 Pathways to Recovery Conf. March 2-6, 2004, Victoria, B.C. Species at Risk 2004 Pathways to Recovery Conference Organizing Committee, Victoria, BC. 7pp. |
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Heinsalu, V., and G.W. Smith. 1982. Vancouver Island marmot inventory 1982. B.C. Minist. Environ., Fish and Wildl. Branch, Nanaimo. |
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Holland, G.P. 1985. The fleas of Canada, Alaska and Greenland (Siphonaptera). The Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada 117(S130):3-632. |
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Howell, A. H. 1915. Revision of the North American marmots. North American Fauna 37:1-80. |
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Janz, D.W. et al. 2000. National Recovery Plan for the Vancouver Island Marmot (Marmota vancouverensis) (2000 update). Recovery of Natl. Endangered Wildl. Comm. Rep. No. 19. Ottawa. 38pp. |
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Jones, J. K., Jr., R. S. Hoffman, D. W. Rice, C. Jones, R. J. Baker, and M. D. Engstrom. 1992a. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 1991. Occasional Papers, The Museum, Texas Tech University, 146:1-23. |
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Mace, T.F., and C.D. Shepard. 1981. Helminthes of a Vancouver Island marmot, Marmota vancouverensis Swarth, 1911, with a description of Diandrya vancouverensis sp. nov. (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae). Can. J. Zool. 59:790-792. |
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Martell, A. M., R. J. Milko. 1986. Seasonal diets of Vancouver Island marmots, MARMOTA VANCOUVERENSIS. Can. Field-Nat. 100:241-245. |
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Martell, A.M., and R.J. Milko. 1986. Seasonal diets of Vancouver Island Marmots, Marmota vancouverensis. Can. Field-Nat.100:241-245. |
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Matthews, J.R. and C.J. Moseley (eds.). 1990. The Official World Wildlife Fund Guide to Endangered Species of North America. Volume 1. Plants, Mammals. xxiii + pp 1-560 + 33 pp. appendix + 6 pp. glossary + 16 pp. index. Volume 2. Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians, Fishes, Mussels, Crustaceans, Snails, Insects, and Arachnids. xiii + pp. 561-1180. Beacham Publications, Inc., Washington, D.C. |
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McAdie, M. 2004. History and Current Status of the Vancouver Island Marmot (Marmota vancouverensis) Captive-breeding Program. In T.D. Hooper, ed. Proc. of the Species at Risk 2004 Pathways to Recovery Conf. March 2-6, 2004, Victoria, B.C. Species at Risk 2004 Pathways to Recovery Conference Organizing Committee, Victoria, BC. 11pp. |
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Milko, R. J. 1984. Vegetation and foraging ecology of the Vancouver Island marmot (Marmota vancouverensis). M.Sc. thesis, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC. |
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Milko, R.J. 1984. Vegetation and foraging ecology of the Vancouver Island marmot (Marmota vancouverensis). M.Sc. Thesis, Univ. Victoria, Victoria, BC. |
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Munro, W. T., V. Heinsalu, G. W. Smith, and D. W. Janz. 1983. Status and management of the Vancouver Island marmot. First public draft. |
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Munro, W.T., D.W. Janz, V. Heinsalu, and G.W. Smith. 1985. The Vancouver Island marmot: status and management plan. B.C. Minist. of Environ., Wildl. Branch, Victoria. Wildl. Bull. No. B-39. 28 pp. |
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Nagorsen, D. W. 1987. Marmota vancouverensis. Mammalian Species 270:1-5. |
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Nagorsen, D.W. 1987. Marmota vancouverensis. Mammalian Species 270:1-5. |
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Nagorsen, D.W., G. Keddie, and T. Luszcz. 1996. Vancouver Island marmot bones from subalpine caves: archaeological and biological significance. B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Victoria, B.C. Parks Occas. Pap. No. 4. 56pp. |
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Rausch, R.L., and V.R. Rausch. 1971. The somatic chromosomes of some North American marmots (Sciuridae), with remarks on the relationships of Marmota broweri Hall and Gillmore. Mammalia 35:85-101. |
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Vancouver Island Marmot Recovery Team. 1990. Vancouver Island marmot recovery plan. Draft. |
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Vancouver Island Marmot Recovery Team. 2008. Recovery Strategy for the Vancouver Island Marmot (Marmota vancouverensis) in British Columbia. Prepared for the B.C. Ministry of Environment, Victoria, BC. 25 pp. |
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Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/. |
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Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for definitions of the data fields used in this summary report.
Suggested Citation:
B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 2006. Species Summary: Marmota vancouverensis. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Jun 10, 2026).