Meet the Yellow-Bellied Marmot (Marmota flaviventris)
by Trish Nevan
In Central Oregon, one of the surest signs of spring’s arrival is hearing the sharp warning whistle of the yellow-bellied marmot. Emerging from hibernation in late February and early March, marmots, also called rockchucks or whistle-pigs, leave their underground dens and start nibbling away at succulent vegetation, insects and bird eggs.
Yellow-bellied marmots are are the largest member of the squirrel family in Oregon, and can weigh up to 11 pounds. They are also fairly long-lived, averaging a lifespan of 13-15 years.
With their stubby legs, furry, plump bodies with golden-yellow underside, and short, bushy tails these ground squirrels are easy to identify. Colonies of up to 20 marmots are often found in burrows near piles of rocks and boulders. They spend about 80 percent of their lives underground, and over half of the time hibernating. When they emerge in early spring, male marmots seek out two or three females to mate with, each producing up to five pups. They also become eating machines because they need to double their mass in preparation for their upcoming winter hibernation.
Marmots are well-equipped to dig. During summer months they will construct multiple burrows about three feet deep for daily use. Winter hibernation burrows, however, can be over 20 feet underground.
Marmots are hyper-alert to predators, such as coyotes and raptors, and communicate danger to other marmots with their warning whistle alarm calls. While they may look sluggish when munching on vegetation, they can move surprisingly quickly and disappear into a hole or pile of rocks when danger is perceived.
One of the best places locally to observe rockchucks is around Canyon Village at Crooked River Ranch. In spring and summer, dozens can easily be spotted eating grass and standing guard near rocky areas. But then one day, around the beginning of August, they suddenly disappear. The yellow-bellied marmots are back in their underground burrows, hibernating through the long winter.
by Trish Nevan
In Central Oregon, one of the surest signs of spring’s arrival is hearing the sharp warning whistle of the yellow-bellied marmot. Emerging from hibernation in late February and early March, marmots, also called rockchucks or whistle-pigs, leave their underground dens and start nibbling away at succulent vegetation, insects and bird eggs.
Yellow-bellied marmots are are the largest member of the squirrel family in Oregon, and can weigh up to 11 pounds. They are also fairly long-lived, averaging a lifespan of 13-15 years.
With their stubby legs, furry, plump bodies with golden-yellow underside, and short, bushy tails these ground squirrels are easy to identify. Colonies of up to 20 marmots are often found in burrows near piles of rocks and boulders. They spend about 80 percent of their lives underground, and over half of the time hibernating. When they emerge in early spring, male marmots seek out two or three females to mate with, each producing up to five pups. They also become eating machines because they need to double their mass in preparation for their upcoming winter hibernation.
Marmots are well-equipped to dig. During summer months they will construct multiple burrows about three feet deep for daily use. Winter hibernation burrows, however, can be over 20 feet underground.
Marmots are hyper-alert to predators, such as coyotes and raptors, and communicate danger to other marmots with their warning whistle alarm calls. While they may look sluggish when munching on vegetation, they can move surprisingly quickly and disappear into a hole or pile of rocks when danger is perceived.
One of the best places locally to observe rockchucks is around Canyon Village at Crooked River Ranch. In spring and summer, dozens can easily be spotted eating grass and standing guard near rocky areas. But then one day, around the beginning of August, they suddenly disappear. The yellow-bellied marmots are back in their underground burrows, hibernating through the long winter.
What’s That Smell?
Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)
By Cindy Murray
Who would guess that the Latin name for the skunk means “Bad Odour?” (At the end of this article is a shampoo recipe for those pets whose curiosity got them into quite a STINK!)
Now, to be fair, our striped skunks actually provide garden services for which we ought to be grateful, instead of using dangerous poisons. Skunks forage mostly for insects, especially those harmful to gardens and agriculture. They also hunt mice and rats. Skunks are solitary critters until early spring, when they are looking for mates. Females will give birth between April and May with two to ten kits appearing. The male disappears before the kits are born and does not participate in the rearing.
Skunks are quite happy to live in human habitats and very adaptable to our presence. However, they do not appreciate dogs and cats getting too close. Look out because they have extremely well-developed scent glands at the base of their tales and can actually direct the aim of the spray. This talent is so sophisticated that skunks can spray a wide cloud of mist or a stream right in a pet’s face and accurately hit the target up to six feet away!
Skunks are nocturnal and the number one cause of their demise are vehicles. Please watch for skunks when driving after dark.
Has your pet ever been skunked? A simple solution of one bottle of hydrogen peroxide, one-quarter cup of baking soda (NOT baking powder) and two teaspoons of liquid soap mixed together can rid your pet of skunk smell. Use as you would a shampoo and wash your pet with this solution. Allow the mix to stay on the fur for five minutes and then rinse with plain water. This really works instead of using a concoction of tomato juice (which masks the scent but doesn’t get rid of it). Be careful not to let the solution get in your pet’s eyes—it will sting. (For a demonstration, watch this short video by Sally B. Mitchell).
Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)
By Cindy Murray
Who would guess that the Latin name for the skunk means “Bad Odour?” (At the end of this article is a shampoo recipe for those pets whose curiosity got them into quite a STINK!)
Now, to be fair, our striped skunks actually provide garden services for which we ought to be grateful, instead of using dangerous poisons. Skunks forage mostly for insects, especially those harmful to gardens and agriculture. They also hunt mice and rats. Skunks are solitary critters until early spring, when they are looking for mates. Females will give birth between April and May with two to ten kits appearing. The male disappears before the kits are born and does not participate in the rearing.
Skunks are quite happy to live in human habitats and very adaptable to our presence. However, they do not appreciate dogs and cats getting too close. Look out because they have extremely well-developed scent glands at the base of their tales and can actually direct the aim of the spray. This talent is so sophisticated that skunks can spray a wide cloud of mist or a stream right in a pet’s face and accurately hit the target up to six feet away!
Skunks are nocturnal and the number one cause of their demise are vehicles. Please watch for skunks when driving after dark.
Has your pet ever been skunked? A simple solution of one bottle of hydrogen peroxide, one-quarter cup of baking soda (NOT baking powder) and two teaspoons of liquid soap mixed together can rid your pet of skunk smell. Use as you would a shampoo and wash your pet with this solution. Allow the mix to stay on the fur for five minutes and then rinse with plain water. This really works instead of using a concoction of tomato juice (which masks the scent but doesn’t get rid of it). Be careful not to let the solution get in your pet’s eyes—it will sting. (For a demonstration, watch this short video by Sally B. Mitchell).
Library of previous Wildlife Articles:
Northern Scorpion (Paruroctonus boreus) | Cindy Murray
Cougar (Puma concolor) | Cindy Murray
Bobcat (Lynx rufus) | Cindy Murray
Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) | Cindy Murray
Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) | Cindy Murray
North American Beaver | Cindy Murray
Northern River Otter | Cindy Murray
Owls of Central Oregon | Cindy Murray
Rattlesnakes: Fact and Fiction | Ilene Smith
Northern Scorpion (Paruroctonus boreus) | Cindy Murray
Cougar (Puma concolor) | Cindy Murray
Bobcat (Lynx rufus) | Cindy Murray
Common Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) | Cindy Murray
Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) | Cindy Murray
North American Beaver | Cindy Murray
Northern River Otter | Cindy Murray
Owls of Central Oregon | Cindy Murray
Rattlesnakes: Fact and Fiction | Ilene Smith