Our 2023 Annual Report is here! This Report summarizes our work over the past year and the state of the marmot as they entered hibernation in the fall. Some highlights from our observations over the past include:
- The wild marmot population increased from 204 to 303 marmots! That increase was driven by a few things.
- There was significant increase in wild reproduction: we observed 59 pups in 2023, compared to 22 the prior year.
- We released more marmots to the wild: 42 in 2023, compared to 23 the year before.
- We documented 3 new colonies of marmots and confirmed occupancy at a colony we first observed in 2022.
Our task now is to keep this momentum going. The good news is that we have up to 60 marmots that we will release to the wild this summer. These young marmots will really help bolster colonies that are still small and fragile.
One challenge is that Vancouver Island marmots typically breed only every other year. After a strong year of reproduction, we may see a dip in the number of pups in 2024. However, we will provide supplemental food where we can, and this extra food resource may give marmot moms the boost they need to wean another litter quickly.
This report is prepared primarily to assist with our planning and for our partners in the Vancouver Island marmot recovery program. However, we hope it is useful to others as well, such as researchers and students.
Download the report here: 2023 Annual Report