With your help, this has been good news year for Canada’s most endangered mammal!
The Vancouver Island marmots made a big step this summer. Our on-the-ground approach to conservation is helping them bounce back from the brink of extinction. Over the past twenty years, the marmot population has grown from fewer than 30 to 300!
This year has been an especially good one for the Vancouver Island marmot. The wild population increased by 100! Three things drove this big increase in numbers.
First, we were able to release 52 marmots to the wild this summer. That’s a big boost, especially for smaller colonies where there might marmots looking for mates or even hibernation partners.
Second, the pups came back this year! Last year challenging weather conditions really impacted the marmots’ reproductive success. But they bounced back in a big way this summer, producing 51 or more pups. Some of these pups will go on to be the next generation of wild marmots!
Third, the marmots are continuing to strike out on their own and successfully establish new colonies. This year, we were able to document another 3 new colonies. This is a big deal for the marmots, as it shows how they are able to thrive if we support them and give them the opportunity!
It’s an incredible accomplishment, and one that your support made possible. Your donations support our work to release marmots to the wild, restore habitat, and provide the wild population with the support they need to thrive!
But these special animals are still critically endangered. Help keep their recovery going with your year-end donation.
Above is Arwen. She is a first time mom this summer, with her partner Edgar!