How Do Woodchucks (Marmota monax) Cope with Harsh Winter Conditions?

Abstract

Woodchucks ( Marmota monax ) are a solitary species that, unlike other species of marmots, hibernate singly. The object of this study was to analyze how this species copes with harsh winter conditions in the field, in the northern part of its range. Woodchucks in the population studied have a pattern of hibernation similar to that of alpine marmots ( Marmota marmota ), they face comparable burrow temperatures, and their range of body temperatures is similar. However, woodchucks lose more weight than alpine marmots, both on a daily basis and throughout the period of hibernation. Woodchucks are less specialized than montane species of marmots, but their hibernacula provide better insulation than those employed by species residing in mountainous habitats.