The marmot (Marmota marmota latirostris Kratochvil, 1961) population in the Polish Tatra Mountains [La populationde marmottes (M. marmota latirostris K.) dans les montanges des Tatras].

Résumé

Forty colonies of the marmot Marmota marmota latirostris (Kratochvil 1961) were found in the Polish part of the Tatra Mountains in 1979-1983 by intensive field-penetration methods. The colonies were located between 1,600 and 2,100 m a.s.l. on a slope no steeper than 40°. The annual activity period lasted about 220 days. The date of emergence from hibernation and he cessation of summer activity of marmots varied both among colonies nd particular years within a range of four weeks. The daily rhythm of activity, studied throughout the summer season, often began even before sunrise and always ended before sunset, lasting a maximum of more than 14 hours. The home range of individual colonies varied from 2.1-7.2 hectares. There were sigth, acoustic and locomotor contactsbetween the colonies. The number of marmots in the Polish part of the Tatra Mts was around 120 animals, without taking into account the increment in a given year, which amounted to about 45 % of the total population. Maintenance of the population numbers sustaining year afer year at a similar level permits the assumption that the mortality was equal to the population increment.