Communal nesting in yellow-bellied marmots [Elevage au nid communautaire chez les marmottes à ventre jaune]. Совместное обитание в гнездовых норах у желтобрюхих сурков.

Résumé

This report of communal nesting is the first for a marmot (Marmota). Communal nesting occurred much less often than possible based on the number of adult females present in a colony and always involved closely-related females (r = 0.5). Space-use patterns of young and adults of a communally-nesting group suggest that the group is one social unit. Young cannot be assigned to their litters nor can maternity be assigned based on space-use overlap. Space-use overlap among members of different communal groups was much less than space-use overlap among members within a communal group. One instance of communal nursing was detected. We conclude that communal nesting does not imply communal nursing.