Regulation of body temperature and energy requirements of hibernating alpine marmots (Marmota marmota).

AREGU March 47/3

Ortmann, Sylvia, and Gerhard Heldmaier. Regulation of body temperature and energy requirements of hibernating Alpine marmots (Marmota marmota). Am. J. Physiol. Regulatory Integrative Comp. Physiol. 278: R698–R704, 2000.— Body temperature and metabolic rate were recorded continuously in two groups of marmots either exposed to seasonally decreasing ambient temperature (15 to 0°C) over the entire ...

Seasonal habituation to human activities in alpine marmots (Marmota marmota) in the Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy

Infanticide in the Alpine marmot (Marmota marmota)

We report the first case of directly observed infanticide in the Alpine marmot (Marmota marmota). Moreover, previous and present observations suggest that 12 young could have been killed by infanticide in the population under study. The bodies of five of them were found with similar neck injuries. In all cases, infanticidal animals were adult males entering a territory in the absence of the res...

Higher risk of gastrointestinal parasite infection at lower elevation suggests possible constraints in the distributional niche of Alpine marmots

Alpine marmots Marmota marmota occupy a narrow altitudinal niche within high elevation alpine environments. For animals living at such high elevations where resources are limited, parasitism represents a potential major cost in life history. Using occupancy models, we tested if marmots living at higher elevation have a reduced risk of being infected with gastro-intestinal helminths, possibly co...

Hormonal and behavioural changes during the mating season and pregnancy in Alpine marmots (Marmota marmota).

Under natural and artificial conditions, Alpine marmots (Marmota marmota) are true hibernators with a single breeding season starting immediately upon emergence from hibernation. Over three mating and breeding seasons, hormonal and mating patterns of colony-housed reproductive female marmots were investigated after exit from hibernation. Blood samples were taken for progesterone, oestrogen and ...