mg1744's photos with the keyword: Mammal

Was out taking some landscape shots in the Cathy Fromme Prairie Natural Area when I noticed some of the ever present prairie dogs sunning themselves outside their burrows. After I took a few frames they suddenly disappeared. Panned around a little with the camera and sure enough along came Mr. Coyote, I think he was traveling, you can see the faint trace of an animal track just behind him, rather than seriously hunting, but he did investigate a couple of the prairie dog burrows as he passed through. Out of the frame to the right a couple of hundred yards (200m) up on the next ridge is the first subdivision on the south edge of Fort Collins; hope everyone took their pets in for the night. View is generally to the west.

These mammals are a product of Ice Age isolation; a species unique to the Olympic peninsula in northwest Washington state. Indeed, their habitat is largely contained within Olympic National Park. Their closest relatives within the marmot family are found across the Strait of Juan de Fuca on Vancouver Island in Canada. Marmots are relatives of the eastern woodchuck and are the largest members of the squirrel family found in the Park. Marmots live in colonies usually consisting of an adult male, two females, which normally breed only every other year, and their offspring. Marmots inhabit the high meadows of the Park as shown here and as hibernators live in multi-chambered burrows up to 15 feet (5m) deep. They are very sociable, gregarious animals communicating with a variety of whistles.This one posed for some minutes by his den about 30 feet (10m) off the Hurricane Hill trail near the summit. He or she appeared undisturbed by the human presence which included several loud and active small children. View is to the SSW.