Meet the Chunkiest Marmots in Colorado's 'Fat Marmot Week

Fat Marmot Week is here! A new online competition is encouraging people to cast their vote for the fattest yellow-bellied marmots in the state of Colorado. Here is a look at the contest and the awareness it is bringing to these rodents.

Voting is Open for Fat Marmot Week

'Tis the season for Colorado's yellow-bellied marmot population to fatten up in order to survive the harsh winter. The Rocky Mountain Biological Library (RMBL) is celebrating the annual rite of passage by hosting a week of events dedicated to the creature. An online contest allows people to vote for the marmot that they think is the plumpest.

Eight marmots are featured in the contest that runs August 24 to 29. Voting is open every day during this time from 9 am to 9 pm EST. The winner with the largest weight will be announced on August 29, while the popular vote winner will be revealed on August 30.

According to an RMBL news release, “Fat Marmot Week is a lighthearted, tournament-style event that highlights the remarkable transformation yellow-bellied marmots undergo each summer as they feed almost constantly on grasses and wildflowers, roughly doubling their body weight in preparation for about five months of hibernation."

Although the contest is a fun diversion, the goal is to bring awareness to the importance of animals preparing for hibernation.  Dan Blumstein, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UCLA and co-director of the RMBL Marmot Project, noted that “It’s fun to root for the chunkiest marmot, but behind the fun and games is a deathly serious competition against nature to pile on fat to survive the long, cold winter."

Each of the eight contestants is named after a unique non-toxic fur mark used by the researchers to track them. Some of the contestants include marmots named Stonehenge, Goblin, and Dan's Hat. Voters are encouraged to choose the marmot that they believe “best exemplifies healthy hibernation preparation.”