Management of an endangered species: the Vancouver Island marmot [Gestion d'une espèce en danger : la marmotte de l'île de Vancouver].

Résumé

The Vancouver Island marmot (Marmota vancouverensis) Swarth 1911, one of only two species found entirely within Canada, is endemic to Vancouver Island, British Columbia. It was officially designated as an endangered species in March 1980. This recent status resulted from increased public interest and recognition that this species inhabits a very localized ecological niche, steep, south-facing talus and meadow slopes within the subalpine and alpine biogeoclimatic zones along the Vancouver Island insular mountain range. The Vancouver Island marmot is ecologically similar to other alpine marmots (M. caligata, M. olympus, M. browerii) as reflected by general behaviour, ectoparasites (Heard 1977) and karyotype (Rausch and Rausch 1971). It differs in skull characteristics (Howell 1915) and the dark chocolate brown coloration of the new pelage. The contrasting white coloration of the muzzle, forehead and breast is also distinctive. Colonization of Vancouver Island by marmots is speculated to have occurred during the Illinoian glacial period (100,000 B.P.), with subsequent ecological divergence from the ancestral M. caligata stock (Heard 1977). The restricted habitat, relatively low numbers, and general biology of this species provide challenging opportunities for management and conservation measures.