Full Breakdown
Fat Marmot Week Turns a Scientific Marathon into a Public Vote
8/25/2026, 9:31:20 PM
Core Event: Inaugural Fat Marmot Week Goes Live
The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) in Gothic, Colorado, launched its first “Fat Marmot Week” on August 24, inviting the public to vote online for the yellow-bellied marmot that gains the most weight before winter. Voting runs each day at 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. EST on August 24, August 26, and August 28. The marmot with the highest estimated weight will be announced on August 29, and the popular-vote winner on August 30.
Background & Context: Six Decades of Marmot Research
RMBL’s Marmot Project began in 1962 and is the world’s second-longest study of free-living mammals, after Jane Goodall’s chimpanzee work. Researchers have tracked individual yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer) across ten generations, amassing data on social structure, survival, and climate-driven changes. Funding from the National Science Foundation dwindled after three unsuccessful renewal attempts, leaving the project reliant on ad-hoc sources.
How the Contest Works
Scientists mark each marmot with non-toxic fur dye and a numbered metal ear tag. The dye creates distinctive patterns that inspire names such as “Dan’s Hat,” “Open Kite,” “Citroen,” and “Stonehenge.” During the week, the public views photos and videos of the contenders on the Fat Marmot Week website and casts votes for the animal they deem the “chunkiest” or best prepared for hibernation.
Funding Impact and Financial Goals
To offset the funding gap, the team introduced several internet-based fundraising tactics:
- An adult-content platform account (“OnlyMarms”) has generated roughly $6,000 in donations.
- Direct contributions to the University of California, Los Angeles total more than $20,000.
- A cryptocurrency token, $OnlyMarms, has produced about $100,000 in transaction fees.
Blumstein explained that the project needs $225,000 – $300,000 to fully support a Ph.D. student for three years, covering fieldwork, stipends, and summer expenses. Ongoing partial support from a nonprofit will fund one quarter of a graduate student’s salary for the current year.
Official Statements & Responses
Julien Martin, a biology professor at the University of Ottawa, warned that “the marmots need the snow as a layer of insulation as they hibernate in their burrows, so without this many of them just froze to death,” highlighting climate-driven threats the research aims to document.
Data & Statistics
- The Marmot Project has followed individual marmots for 64 years (since 1962).
- Researchers have observed an increase in average marmot body mass linked to longer, warmer summers.
Why It Matters / Impact
Fat Marmot Week engages a broad audience in wildlife conservation while generating critical funds to keep a unique longitudinal dataset alive. The six-decade record provides a rare window into how alpine ecosystems respond to shifting snowpack, temperature, and plant phenology—information essential for predicting broader ecological impacts of climate change.
What’s Next
The public voting concludes on August 28, with the estimated-weight champion announced on August 29 and the popular-vote winner on August 30. RMBL plans to channel the raised funds into hiring a new doctoral student and to continue expanding outreach, including the OnlyMarms platform and related cryptocurrency efforts.
