Elsevier

Animal Behaviour

Volume 22, Issue 1, February 1974, Pages 256-261
Animal Behaviour

The social behaviour of the hoary marmot (Marmota caligata)

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-3472(74)80077-1Get rights and content

Abstract

The social behaviour of four colonies of hoary marmots (Marmota caligata) was studied in Glacier National Park, Montana, during the summer of 1970. Colony structure involved a dominant male with a few females (3 years or older), 2-year-olds, yearlings and pups. Patterns of burrow use, greetings, play, and aggressive chasing are described, indicating a closely-integrated social structure with reproductive patterns suggesting late dispersal and maturation. A close resemblance to the behaviour of the Olympic marmot (M. olympus) is proposed.

References (8)

There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (37)

  • On the dynamics of rodent social groups

    2008, Behavioural Processes
  • The case of the missing marmots: Are metapopulation dynamics or range-wide declines responsible?

    2008, Biological Conservation
    Citation Excerpt :

    These meadows range in size from <5 ha to >100 ha and are embedded in a matrix of forest, rock and snow. Like the closely-related hoary (M. caligata) and Vancouver Island marmots, Olympic marmots hibernate for 6–8 months a year, delay any dispersal until after the second hibernation, and only attain reproductive maturity at age 3 or 4 (Barash, 1973, 1974; Bryant, 1998, 2005; Bryant and McAdie, 2003). All three species typically breed biennially, but can occasionally breed annually (Bryant, 2005; Griffin et al., 2007a; Kyle et al., 2007).

View all citing articles on Scopus
*

Present address: Departments of Psychology and Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195.

View full text