Some quantitative aspects of the behavior of marmots [Quelques aspects quantitatifs du comportement des marmottes].

Résumé

Sunning and watching was the predominant behavioral activity in two colonies of yellow-bellied marmots. Following emergence from the burrow in the morning, the sequence of major activities was sunning, feeding and other active behaviors, and sunning and watching. Marmots spent more time feeding on cloudy days than on sunny days. There was no evidence that one marmot acts as a sentinel while another marmot feeds. Habitat utilization was characterized by activity in vegetation below 80 cm high and by the presence of large rocks used for sunning behaviors. Much of the marmot behavior is interpretable as adaptation to the high altitude environment and to predation.