Marmots

Did you hear a whistle? Look around: you could be lucky and still see the marmot that sounded the alarm. You'll see it in its typical sentinel position, straight on its hind legs. These animals’ cry, which sounds like a whistle to us humans, is used to defend the burrow and warn companions of coming danger. Marmots are very attached to their community and their burrow as well, which is dug differently according to the season. It's almost as if they had two houses: in the summer they live in shallow burrows, with many rooms and exits, while for the winter they dig a long deep tunnel that leads to a large room. There, they stack hay to use for hibernation. They sleep from October to April in groups ranging from 3 to 15 individuals. To them, staying in a group is very important and also affects the survival of their cubs during hibernation: the more they are, the warmer, making it more likely to make it to the end of winter.