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jnj@lemmy.ca

First release of the season boosts Vancouver Island marmot numbers (www.pqbnews.com)

submitted 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) by LimpRimble@lemmy.ca to c/vancouverisland@lemmy.ca

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The wild population of Canada's most endangered mammal, the Vancouver Island marmot, is anticipated to exceed 350 by the end of the summer thanks to the Marmot Recovery Foundation's captive-breeding efforts.

It may not seem like many, but 21 years ago the wild population had dropped to a count of fewer than two dozen.

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[–] LimpRimble@lemmy.ca 1 points 3 months ago

The Tony Barrett Mt Washington Marmot Recovery Centre

Built in 2001 within marmot habitat, the Recovery Centre provides a key link in the management and release of captive-born animals prior to their release to other sites in the wild. The Recovery Centre provides disease management by providing the final stage of quarantine in a single species facility and provides logistical flexibility for releasing marmots – that is, allowing the marmots to be acclimated to release conditions with respect to elevation, weather and natural foods. It also allows for the marmots that are to be released to be held back until field conditions are suitable. An important option during the last few years, when many of the release sites were not accessible until well into July because of unusual snow patterns. Therefore, the need for a dedicated marmot facility on Vancouver Island will undoubtedly continue as long as there is a need for intensive captive management of Vancouver Island marmots as currently exists.
https://marmots.org/