Since 1962, the Marmot Project at Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) has tracked yellow-bellied marmots in and around Gothic, Colorado. It is the world's second longest-running study of individually marked mammals, behind only Jane Goodall's famous chimpanzee research. Scientists study marmots' genetics, behavior, communication, and social lives. They also study how marmots interact with people and how they are responding to climate change.
The study began when Dr. Kenneth B. Armitage of the University of Kansas started marking and tracking individual marmots in 1962. Ken led the project for 41 years before Dr. Daniel T. Blumstein of the University of California, Los Angeles, took over in 2001. Today, Dan co-leads the project with Dr. Julien G.A. Martin of the University of Ottawa. Together, they work with researchers from around the world to bring new ideas and techniques to the study.
Most wildlife research projects last only one to three years, about the time it takes a graduate student to complete their degree. However, some studies, like this one, continue for decades. These long-term studies are rare, but they are essential because nature changes from year to year. One winter may bring deep snow, while the next has very little. Long-term studies help scientists understand how animal populations respond to changing conditions. They are especially important as our climate continues to change.
Yellow-bellied marmots have helped scientists better understand how animals respond to environmental change, avoid predators, communicate, and interact with one another. After 65 years of observing marmot behavior, researchers have learned that these animals are remarkably flexible in their social lives. While many animals, including primates and some marmot species, depend on living in groups to survive or raise young, yellow-bellied marmots can thrive alone or in groups of more than 20 animals. The Marmot Project at RMBL helped pioneer the study of animal social networks, and nearly 25 years of this work continues to reveal why these adaptable animals are so successful.