As summer unfolds across the Colorado Rockies, one of the region’s most recognizable mountain animals is entering the most important stage of its year. Marmots may appear irresistibly round and cuddly as they spend their days feeding in alpine meadows, but every bit of weight they gain serves a vital purpose. Those extra fat reserves will help them survive months of hibernation through a harsh mountain winter. To celebrate these remarkable animals while highlighting the challenges they face, scientists at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory have launched the first-ever Fat Marmot Week, inviting the public to cheer for their favorite chunky marmot in a fun and educational competition.
The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, Colorado, has announced the very first Fat Marmot Week, with voting running from Aug. 24 through Aug. 29. Inspired by Alaska’s popular Fat Bear Week, the event allows the public to vote for their favorite marmot in a fun bracket-style competition that celebrates the animals’ incredible seasonal transformation.
Marmots are the largest members of the squirrel family. During the short mountain summer, they work almost nonstop eating wildflowers and other vegetation, storing enough fat to survive nearly five months of hibernation. Some can grow to nearly three times their spring body weight before disappearing underground for the winter. While the contest promises plenty of entertaining photos and friendly competition, researchers say the story behind those chunky bodies is far more serious.
“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,” said Dan Blumstein, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of California, Los Angeles.
He added that marmots also provide scientists with valuable insight into the health of fragile alpine ecosystems, making their survival important well beyond their own species.
A Difficult Year for Colorado’s Marmots
This year’s competition arrives after an especially difficult season for both marmots and the scientists who have spent decades studying them. Snow melted much earlier than usual across the high country, leaving marmots exposed to predators for longer periods as they searched for food above ground. At the same time, Colorado’s exceptionally low snowpack reduced the number of wildflowers that normally blanket mountain meadows during summer.
Those flowers are one of the marmots’ primary food sources. With fewer blooms available, the animals have faced a tougher challenge building the fat reserves they depend on before winter returns.
Researchers estimate that around 100 marmots involved in the long-running study died over the previous winter, underscoring how vulnerable these mountain mammals can be when environmental conditions shift. For an animal whose survival depends on only a few productive summer months, every lost feeding opportunity matters. A season with less food and greater exposure to predators can have lasting effects on the population.
Decades of Research Face an Uncertain Future
The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory has been studying marmots since 1962, creating one of the world’s longest-running wildlife research projects. The decades of observations have helped scientists understand how climate, predators, food availability, and changing environments affect marmot populations over time. Long-term studies like this are rare because they require consistent funding over many years. That funding has become increasingly difficult to secure.
Emily Renkey, a master’s student helping organize Fat Marmot Week, said obtaining support for long-term research projects has become especially challenging. According to Renkey, the team is facing growing uncertainty about how to continue monitoring the animals they have followed for generations. Researchers say broader reductions in research funding have made sustaining wildlife studies more difficult, prompting teams to search for creative ways to raise public awareness and financial support.
Creative Ideas to Keep the Research Going
To help attract attention, the researchers have embraced several unconventional fundraising efforts. Earlier this month, Blumstein and his team launched an OnlyMarms account on OnlyFans, where they post family-friendly marmot videos in hopes of encouraging donations. Although the effort has generated curiosity online, Renkey said it has not yet become a reliable source of funding.
The team has also partnered with Irwin Brewing Company in nearby Crested Butte to create a marmot-themed beer called Marmot Tears, adding another unique way for supporters to engage with the project. These creative campaigns reflect the researchers’ determination to keep decades of scientific work alive while introducing more people to the fascinating lives of these alpine animals. In the weeks leading up to Fat Marmot Week, scientists will introduce two marmot contestants each week on social media before voting officially opens on Aug. 24.
Organizers hope the event will inspire people not only to choose their favorite fluffy competitor but also to appreciate the remarkable effort these animals make every year simply to survive.
“We’re really excited that a wider audience is connecting with our research,” said Katie Adler, a doctoral candidate helping lead Fat Marmot Week.
For the marmots, every ounce gained represents another chance to emerge safely when spring returns. Their growing waistlines may make people smile, but they also tell an important story about resilience, changing mountain ecosystems, and the value of protecting the wildlife that calls them home.
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