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Marmot


Marmot
Photo Information
Copyright: Jacqueline Schnepp (Noisette) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1714 W: 4 N: 2351] (7821)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2010-08-29
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon EOS 350D, 55-200mm f/4-5.6GED-IF AF-S DX VR Zoom N
Exposure: f/20.0, 1/30 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2010-10-27 11:23
Viewed: 4364
Points: 60
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hello All

i have seen this marmot in the parc Sainte-Croix, sitting very relaxing on the rock. i think it's an Alpine Marmot.

Marmot

The marmots are a genus, Marmota, of squirrels. There are 14 species in this genus.

Marmots are generally large ground squirrels. Those most often referred to as marmots tend to live in mountainous areas such as the Alps, northern Apennine Mountains, Eurasian steppes, Carpathians, Tatra, and Pyrenees in Europe, the Rockies, the Black Hills, the Cascade Mountains, and the Sierra Nevada in North America, Deosai plateau in Pakistan, and Ladakh in India. The groundhog, however, is also properly called a marmot, while the similarly-sized but more social prairie dog is not classified in the genus Marmota but in the related genus Cynomys.

Marmots typically live in burrows (often within rockpiles, particularly in the case of the Yellow-bellied Marmot), and hibernate there through the winter. Most marmots are highly social, and use loud whistles to communicate with one another, especially when alarmed.
Marmots mainly eat greens and many types of grasses, berries, lichens, mosses, roots, and flowers.

Species

The following is a list of all Marmota species recognized by Thorington and Hoffman (2005). They divide marmots into two subgenera.

GENUS MARMOTA - MARMOTS

Subgenus Marmota

▪ Alpine Marmot, Marmota marmota found only in Europe in the Alps, northern Apennines in Italy, Carpathians, Tatra, and reintroduced in the Pyrenees
▪ Gray Marmot or Altai Marmot, Marmota baibacina found in Siberia
▪ Bobak Marmot, Marmota bobak fround from central Europe to central Asia
▪ Alaska Marmot, Brower's Marmot, or Brooks Range Marmot, Marmota broweri found in Alaska
▪ Black-capped Marmot, Marmota camtschatica found in eastern Siberia
▪ Long-tailed Marmot, Golden Marmot, or Red Marmot, Marmota caudata found in central Asia
▪ Himalayan Marmot or Tibetan Snow Pig, Marmota himalayana found in the Himalayas
▪ Menzbier's Marmot, Marmota menzbieri, found in central Asia
▪ Groundhog, Woodchuck or Whistlepig, Marmota monax found in most of North America
▪ Tarbagan Marmot, Mongolian Marmot, or Tarvaga, Marmota sibirica found in Siberia

Subgenus : Petromarmota

▪ Hoary Marmot, Marmota caligata found in northwestern North America
▪ Yellow-bellied Marmot, Marmota flaviventris found in southwestern Canada and western United States
▪ Olympic Marmot, Marmota olympus endemic to Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA
▪ Vancouver Island Marmot, Marmota vancouverensis endemic to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Additionally four species of marmot are recognized from the fossil record:
▪ Marmota arizonae Arizona
▪ Marmota minor Nevada
▪ Marmota robusta China
▪ Marmota vestus Nebraska

History and etymology

Marmots have been known since antiquity. Research by the French ethnologist Michel Peissel makes a claim that the story of 'Gold-digging ants' reported by the Greek historian Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century BC, was founded on the golden Himalayan Marmot of the Deosai plateau and the habit of local tribes such as the Minaro to collect the gold dust excavated from their burrows.

The etymology of the term "marmot" is uncertain. It may have arisen from the Gallo-Romance prefix marm-, meaning to mumble or murmur (an onomatopoeia). Another possible origin is post-classical Latin, mus montanus, meaning "mountain mouse".

Alaska celebrates every February 2 as "Marmot Day," a holiday intended to observe the prevalence of marmots in that state and take the place of Groundhog Day.

Human consumption

Marmots have been eaten for centuries in Mongolia where they are called "tarvaga". They are also used to make "boodog." Hunting of marmots for food is typically done in seasons and time periods when they are heavier.
siggi, Black44, jusninasirun, Dis. Ac., boreocypriensis, haraprasan, Alex99, oscarromulus, Pitoncle, paolo49, jeanpaul, tuslaw, ramthakur, Argus, cirano, bahadir, KOMSIS, rousettus, zulfu, CeltickRanger, peter_stoeckl, maurydv has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To bahadir: Hello BahadirNoisette 1 11-02 15:02
To tuslaw: Hello RonNoisette 1 11-01 16:39
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3097 W: 109 N: 12399] (52850)
  • [2010-10-27 12:44]

Hello Jaqueline.
An superb capture of this marmot.The DOF and POV are very good.The details and sharpness are very good.Excellent colour and the little fellow really stands out well against the beautiful nature BG.TFS
Best regards Siggi

Hola Jacqueline

Bonita imagen, aunque la veo algo azulada, debe ser que no has programado bien el balance de blancos, o que has saturado demasiado, de todas formas una imagen muy agradable de esta pequeña marmota.

Un saludo de Antonio

Hi Jacqueline. Very nicely framed in tight view to see the details of this marmot. I like the tone and sharpness with the eye that glaze. Balanced framing in natural surrounding. Well done and thanks for sharing - Jusni

Hello Jaqueline,

an very niceshot from this Marmot with good pov ad sharpness.
Maybe there are to much blue in your picture looks to the headand the rocks or even the grasses.
Turther beautiful image.

Gert

Hi MF Jacqueline,

Nice capture of this cute and serious looking fellow, the composition, details and exposure also looks good here.
I quite like how she's looking at you without giving anything away:). Excellent job MF!
Cheers,

Bayram

Hi Jacqueline,
A lovely capture of this beautiful Marmot. Good composition and sharp details. Thanks a lot for sharing.

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2791 W: 0 N: 6696] (25839)
  • [2010-10-28 2:30]

Hello Jacqueline,
what a cute creature among the rocks. I like the shiny eye and the details fur.
Excellent composition and the colour combination is lively.

Regards,
Foozi

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4072 W: 133 N: 7096] (23735)
  • [2010-10-28 2:56]

Hi Jacqueline.
I have never met this species even in Zoo. Very cute individual. I also like stone which create a nice surroundings for the main character of the image. Sharpness of the image is excellent and small piece of blurred BG is looked nicely too. My kind regards.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2010-10-28 4:06]

Salut Jacqueline,quelle chance de voir la marmotte si pres de toi! Et quelle excellente photo dans une lumiere terrible,tu as bien travaille' pour augmenter la nettete' aussi si il y a un peu de bruit derrier...mes compliments et bonne journee',Luciano

Ciao Jaqueline. Almost impossible to obtain so great quality with this light. A superb work MF!

Roberto

Jacqueline,
Lovely register.
Very sharp showing a lot of details of your subject.
It can CAMOUFLAGE itself quite well; we have a lot of them, here, in Canada.
Loved its tight frame... my style!!!
Congratulations in this your new venture .... diversity!!!
Bravo.
Mario with friendly greetings from -6*C in Calgary.

Bonjour Jacqueline,
Très beau portrait valorisant bien le sujet dans une belle attitude par l'appréciation de la finesse des détails et de la délicatesse des couleurs.
A bientôt sur TN pour de nouvelles aventures.
Gérard

  •      
  • paolo49 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 366 W: 63 N: 888] (6200)
  • [2010-10-28 7:38]

Hello Jacqueline,
another beautiful picture, details and light perfect. A nice and difficult image. Tanks for sharing. Greetings, Paolo

hello Jaqueline
very nice pose with good details
great moment to find this marmot
greeting lou

Ciao Jacqueline, great capture of cute creature, wonderful natural ambientation, splendid colors and excellent sharpness, very well done my friend, ciao Silvio

Salutation Jaqueline.
Superbe capture ! Ils sont si adorable à regarder que çà me fait oublier que je les détestent ces voleurs de fleurs et de salade
Magnifique netteté et prise de vue, belles couleurs vives.
Bravo et au revoir...JP

  • Great 
  • tuslaw Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2754 W: 282 N: 4931] (19883)
  • [2010-10-31 17:58]
  • [+]

Hello Jacqueline,
A nice close-up of an animal that has so far eluded my camera. Wonderful detail and beautiful coloration. Good eye contact, and captured in his natural habitat. Good job!!
Ron

Lovable picture of a Marmot among blue rocks, Jacqueline.
The animal seems to be happy and relaxed in its surroundings.
Well done and thanks for sharing this picture.
Ram

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2010-10-31 23:18]

Bonjour Jacqueline,
A fine capture of an Alpine marmot taken in its natural habitat. The POV is great and its features are well seen against the rocks and grass in a fine composition.
Thanks and have a good week,
Ivan

  • Great 
  • cirano Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 997 W: 0 N: 944] (13609)
  • [2010-11-01 14:53]

Hi jacquline,
Very good capture with fine sharpness,details and nice colors.TFS.
Regards,
Dûrzan

Hello Jacqueline, lovely shot of this marmot with excellent composition.
TFS and regards,
Bahadır

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2010-11-03 8:02]

Hello Jacqueline,
I've only seen this fascinating animal once in the Alps and from a great distance. You did very well in getting this fine capture where it seems to be guarding its home! Fine details and well composed too.
TFS and best wishes, Ulla

  • Great 
  • KOMSIS Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 820 W: 0 N: 2419] (10674)
  • [2010-11-04 0:53]

Bonjour Jacqueline,
Nice pose ..!
Good focus, sharpness, colors, details and composition.
Best wishes,
Seyfi

Hello Jacqueline,
Excellent portrait of this marmot, a species also common in the Pyrenees
TFS anf nice WE. Ferran

merhaba Jacqueline,
what a lovely capture of pretty Alpine Marmot among rocks. It is a bit similar to ground sousliks (squirrels). nicely focused and composed. eyes contact and light using also nice. Thanks for sharing. Best regards
Ahmet

  • Great 
  • rommel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 446 W: 0 N: 287] (3628)
  • [2010-11-08 11:10]

Hi Jaqueline,
Nicely posed in its natural habitat,it looks similar to the "rock dassie" from my part of the world, but a larger version.How the bluish colours of the rocks and its head seem to blend in and compliment each other.
erwin...

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer [C: 685 W: 0 N: 2] (43)
  • [2010-11-08 12:00]

Hello Jacqueline,
Wonderful shot of this cute marmot.
Colours, details and composition are excellent.
TFS ang G's,
Mehmet

Excelente documento para Tn Jacqueline. Buen enfoque y magníficos colores.

La he visto alguna vez en zonas del Pirineo entre Francia y España. Yo

visito a menudo zonas del sur de Francia... me encanta Francia.

Un abrazo: Josep Ignasi.

bonjour jacqueline

jolie photo en close-up de la marmotte, prise par un excellent
POV et cadrage, excellent focus netteté et détails, le catch-light
à l'oeil rend toujours la photo encore meilleure, TFS

Asbed

Bonjour Jaqueline,
gelungener Volltreffer eines satt und zufrieden aus seinem Bau auftauchenden Murmeltiers, wie es im Hochgebirge nur aus sehr großer Distanz bewundert werden kann! Mit Dank und besten Grüßen,
Peter

Bonjour Jacqueline,
a good capture of an Alpine marmot taken from an excellent frontal POV, fine detail and beautiful natural colours, nice close composition
TFS
Best regards
Maurizio

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