Vancouver Island marmots can live for more than ten years, but they grow relatively slowly. This means that it can be fairly easy to recognize marmot pups and yearlings when you see them, because they are noticeably smaller than their older colony members. Their fur is also much more uniform in colour than the patchwork coat worn by adults! Most yearlings are a beautiful, warm cinnamon colour, like the yearling in this post’s photo. Field crew have been visiting marmot colonies and counting yearlings to determine how many of last year’s pups survived to celebrate their first birthday. And the good news? The yearlings that have been observed in the field have been in excellent physical condition, thanks to an early spring, rapid snow melt, and abundant vegetation.