1) During hibernation, the marmot's heart beats 3 or 4 times per minute. During the active season heart rates range from 110 to over 200 beats per minute.

2) Our goal is to restore and maintain a healthy population of 400-600 Vancouver Island marmots in the wild.

3) The Vancouver Island marmot is a distinct species of marmot found only in the mountains of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

4) There are just approximately 280-320 V I marmots living in the wild today.

5) Vancouver Island marmots love peanut butter!

6) Marmots are also known as "whistle pigs" because they whistle when they think they're in danger.

7) V I marmots' strong shoulders, arms and legs and long claws help them dig their burrows and move around easily in their steep, rocky habitat.

8) Rocks are important to Vancouver Island marmots - they lie on them to cool down (if the rocks are cold) or warm up (if the rocks have been baking in the sun). Rocks also provide an elevated spot from which to watch for predators.

9) Marmots eat grasses, herbs, and flowering plants - they're vegans!

10) Scientists in Russia and France provided us with some important and useful guidance about breeding and releasing marmots.

11) There are 14 different species of marmots found around the world, in the northern hemisphere.

12) Marmots live in underground burrows.

13) Marmots collect dry moss and grasses to pile up inside their burrows and use as bedding.

14) At our captive breeding centres, nest boxes filled with straw, mimic the sleeping chambers in the wild marmots' burrows.

15) Four captive breeding centres currently house Vancouver Island marmots and their offspring.

16) Vancouver Island marmots live very high up in small mountain meadows.

17) V I marmots are quite big - think of a well-fed house cat!

18) V I marmots hibernate for nearly 7 months of the year.

19) Forget Groundhog Day! Instead, celebrate Vancouver Island Marmot Day on May 1st - close to the date when our marmots emerge from hibernation.

20) Vancouver Island marmots live to be about 10 years old.

21) When V I marmots are "teenagers" (2 or 3 years old), some leave their home colonies and travel to other mountaintops (up to 20 or 30 kilometres)
to find mates.

22) The main predators of the Vancouver Island marmot are wolves, cougars, and golden eagles.