Two Chonky, Mountain-Dwelling Marmots Were Found in the Bay Area. What Were They Doing So Far Away From Their Home?

Yellow-bellied marmots are alpine specialists who typically live high in the mountains. But recently, two of the furry rodents were spotted much closer to sea level in the San Francisco Bay Area—and wildlife officials are trying to figure out how they got there. The marmot mystery began September 5, when one of the species was discovered in the city’s Mission District.

After San Francisco Animal Care and Control started getting calls from residents of the historic neighborhood, the nonprofit Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Rescue sprang into action to help the out-of-place critter. But the rescue suspects the creature hitched a ride from Tahoe or some other mountainous region. The mystery deepened when a second marmot was spotted in the Bay Area, this time in Antioch, a city located about 45 miles northeast of San Francisco.

The creature was seen “loitering at a job site,” according to the rescue, which safely captured and transported the animal to its wildlife center. Both animals are physically unharmed, but seem a little out of it from their adventures. These social herbivores, which live in groups known as “madnesses,” can weigh up to 11 pounds and reach lengths of more than two feet.

They typically have reddish-brown fur on their backs, accented by lighter, tannish fur on their bellies. Marmots spend the short alpine summers fattening up on grasses, wildflowers and seeds before cold temperatures return. In the fall, they head underground, where they can hibernate for up to eight months.

Rescue staffers are now trying to determine where the marmots came from so they can return them to their proper homes. They suspect the furry creatures may have tagged along with someone returning early from Burning Man—the week-long arts and community event held in the Nevada desert—who stopped in Truckee or Lake Tahoe, or with someone who had recently visited the high Sierra, Yosemite or Sequoia. If the Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Rescue cannot determine the animals’ origins, they may need to transfer them to the Tahoe Wildlife Center, which can help find a good spot to release the critters, per KQED’s Elize Manoukian.

The recent hitchhikers are a good reminder that motorists traveling through the Sierra Nevada in the spring and summer should take steps to “marmot-proof” their vehicles. The rodents have been known to chew through radiator hoses and car wiring, in an attempt to slurp up antifreeze. And they will sometimes be transported to strange places because of the car being driven off.” The National Park Service recommends washing the outside, undercarriage and engine compartment of your vehicle before heading into the mountains.