Vancouver Island marmot
Vancouver marmot ( Marmota vancouverensis ) ( preparation )
The Vancouver marmot ( Marmota vancouverensis ) is a species of the family Sciuridae, which is only located on Vancouver Iceland. Within the genus of the Vancouver marmot marmot is considered the most threatened by extinction Art Inventory Hazardous to affect this type habitat loss and genetic impoverishment. For massive stock declines occurred primarily in the 1990s, which led to an intensive program was directed to the preservation of its kind in the way. These include a breeding program with captive animals and the reintroduction of conservation enabled population numbers in appropriate areas.
Appearance
The Vancouver marmot is one of the greatest representatives within the genus of the marmots. The weight of the animals is highly variable depending on the season. In September, shortly before the start of hibernation, they weigh up to 6 kilograms. After the end of hibernation their body weight is often only three kilograms.
The coat color of the Vancouver marmot is predominantly a dark chocolate brown. There are scattered white spots on the body bottom and around the muzzle. Also on the front of the head, there are scattered white fur games.
In addition to these white spotting, the Vancouver marmot also occasionally light brown or ocher-colored spots.
Distribution area
Vancouver Marmots are limited in their distribution on the lying off the Canadian west coast of Vancouver Iceland. This island is 32,000 square kilometers, the largest island off the west coast of North America. The island has a very mountainous structure. The highest peaks are at 2200 m. Colonies of Vancouver marmot found along the entire, running from northwest to southeast mountain range. The today populated area is much smaller. There is an isolated colony on Mount Washington as well as a 150 square kilometer, southeast of Mount McQuillan and Mount Arrowsmith lying area in the still exist several colonies.
Vancouver marmots preferred to colonize south or west facing mountain slopes and prefer doing altitudes 1000-1400 meters. Due to regular avalanches coming here on no tree or shrub vegetation. Only then arise for the marmots the necessary treeless meadows where they will find enough Äsung.
Existence and causes of stock decline
In the mid-1980s, the number of still occurring in the wild Vancouver marmots was estimated at about 350 individuals. In a new census in 1998, 71 - marmots Vancouver total counted and estimated the total stock of 85 to 95. From a total of 25 known colonies occur in only 13 still pups. Therefore, the species is threatened as extreme. The cause of inventory influence is especially habitat loss due to logging and the effects of climate fluctuations.
The marmots seem at first to benefit from logging. By existing colonies from justify migrating juveniles new colonies in these regions. However, these colonies fail within a few years if the missing avalanches ensure that here very quickly a dense vegetation occurs already come up in the first trees again. The marmots do not find in these areas, the appropriate food plants, with which they can create sufficient fat reserves to survive the period of hibernation. From the Alpine marmot you know that if you enjoy a rich food supply available in the summer, preferably the young shoots of such plants to eat, which are particularly rich in polyunsaturated fatty acid. These ingredients can not be generated independently from the mammalian organism. A high concentration of essential fatty acids in white adipose tissue of hibernating enables them but also to tolerate lower body temperatures during hibernation. In the absence of suitable food plants for marmots increases the risk that they will not survive the winter half- year due to a lack of warming fat reserves. The lower the fat reserves, the lower is the probability that the females will deliver pups next year. These two mechanisms provide very fast that colonies become extinct not suitable habitats.
Another cause of a population decline is discussed that the vegetation has changed on Vancouver Iceland by a temperature rise so that the animals also no longer find enough plants of the species, they need to build up the fat reserves.
System
The Vancouver marmot is closely related to the Olympus marmot and the hoary marmot (. Caligata ). The distribution area of Olympus marmot is the Olympic Peninsula south of Vancouver Iceland. The hoary marmot, however, is native to North American high mountain regions. It is a relatively new type that may only during the last Ice Age was born when ice barriers prevented the individuals exchange.
Man and Vancouver marmot
In recent years, various measures have been taken to ensure that the Vancouver marmot as a kind persists. The measures include the captivity in zoos Toronto and Calgary. Bred in zoos to ensure that a sufficient number of animals available, where appropriate, to have a sufficient number of animals available for reintroduction programs.
In Vancouver Iceland is attempted within the protected area to increase the number of animals living there and stabilize. Both in the offspring in captivity as well as in the observed colonies in the open is to ensure that there is no inbreeding depression. Genetic studies have shown that the number of alleles and heterozygosity at the Vancouver marmot is significantly lower compared to the Alpine marmot. Besides the lack of suitable habitats, the depletion of the gene pool a further threat to this type dar.
One of the mascots of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Mukmuk, represents a Vancouver marmot