Part 10

Description: A large, dark, brown marmot with a comparatively long bushy tail. Total length 19 to 28 inches. Tail 4½ to 9 inches. Body color, yellowish brown to dark brown above; under parts yellow. The body fur has a grizzled appearance. Sides of neck buffy, and sides of face dark brown to black. Light brown to white between the eyes. The feet are buff to dark brown. Tail dark brown above, lighter below. Young, five to eight, born in early summer.

This large western marmot is not too far removed from the ground squirrels in either relationship or habits. It is the largest ground-dwelling rodent native to the Southwest. As mentioned above, marmots occupy a tremendous altitudinal range, reaching from above timberline down into the Transition Life Zone. This distribution from arctic to almost desert conditions is responsible for many variations in their habits. Most important is the practice of estivation by those individuals which live at the lower elevations. This summer sleep is used as a defense against that period of drought between rainy seasons. It usually starts early in June and ends about the latter part of July. In the higher life zones there is no lack of green food throughout the summer, consequently marmots there remain active.

Because of large size and ability to make good use of its sharp teeth and claws, the marmot’s life is not so restricted as that of many smaller ground-dwelling rodents. It has enemies, to be sure. Bears, mountain lions, wolves, lynxes, wolverines, and eagles all are alert for a possible catch. Yet it is so well on guard and has so many burrows that it is next to impossible to catch one above ground. Should the marmot be surprised away from a burrow, its bold show of defense often gains enough time to work its way to a place of safety. When cornered its appearance alone is enough to make the average predator pause and consider. With hair standing on end and long claws at the ready, the marmot clatters its sharp teeth and hisses loudly at the enemy. This pose is not all bluff. These big rodents are courageous and able adversaries against any animal up to several times their size. As far as man is concerned, they are timid and secretive. On many an occasion their loud, full-toned whistles will be heard, but the whistler will be nowhere in sight. If cornered, however, they will put up the same courageous defense they display against other enemies, and certainly are not animals with which to trifle.

Burrows are usually in open places where a good view of the surroundings is obtained. Too, they are almost always in clefts of rocks, under boulders, or in coarse rocky soil. This lessens the probability of their being dug out by some large predator. Each marmot usually will have several burrows, some being “escape” means and one a permanent home. Well-worn trails lead from one to another, for these are active animals which travel extensively within the limits of their territories. Escape burrows may be deep or shallow, as circumstances dictate, but the home burrow generally is a labyrinth of long passages that terminate in a nest chamber up to 2 feet across. Several auxiliary tunnels are usually reserved for sanitary purposes. None is used for food storage; records indicate that this creature does not lay up stores for later use. The nest is the usual bulky affair, built of coarse materials and lined with the softest grasses and fibers obtainable.

Late to bed and early to rise is characteristic of the marmots. Classed as a diurnal animal, they nevertheless travel about a good deal at dusk. During the breeding season they may even make an extended trip at night to find a mate. Sunrise signals the beginning of the marmot’s day. The slanting rays have no more than touched the boulder above its burrow before the inmate will climb up to take advantage of their warmth. It may stay atop its vantage point for an hour or more. There are many things a marmot can attend to while taking the early morning sunbath. A leisurely toilette, whistled comments to neighbors, a long scrutiny of the terrain for possible danger—all these are matters requiring thorough attention.

Should this procedure be interrupted by a prowling enemy, excitement runs high. If the intruder is still some distance away, the marmot often will stand up on its hind legs, picket pin fashion. Each explosive whistle will be accompanied by several flicks of the tail. When it is judged time to retire it will dash for its burrow, making sharp chirps as it goes. Once inside the burrow it may chance another look outside, and if the caller looks menacing enough the burrow entrance will be plugged with earth from inside, the chirps becoming fainter as the barricade is forced into place. Emergence from the burrow after a fright of this kind is governed to some extent by the time of year. If it is autumn and the marmot is about ready to hibernate, it may go to sleep in its cozy nest and not reappear until the next day. Even in spring and summer it will remain underground for a considerable time before venturing out again.

The marmot is by nature a stocky animal. Short-legged and barrel-bodied, it can lay on a surprising amount of fat for the period of hibernation. Length of this winter sleep depends on the elevation at which the animal lives. On the higher mountain tops it begins about October 1. At lower elevations it may be considerably later. Older individuals usually go into hibernation first, presumably because they are able to lay on the necessary fat sooner than younger ones. As a rule they retire by stages, disappearing for several days at a time; their movements are lethargic and they act as if already half asleep. The young of the year have spent the greater part of the summer growing up, and it is rather a grim race with time to determine whether they will be able to put on enough fat to carry them through the long winter with a reserve supply, or whether they can survive the cold weather that greets them. Especially at the higher elevations, they do not retire until forced to do so by cold weather.

Hibernation is as profound with these big rodents as with many of the ground squirrels. They will curl up into furry balls in their cozy nests, noses covered with fluffy tails, and sink into a deep sleep that approaches suspended animation. Bodily functions slow to a fraction of the normal rate, and the system draws on its store of fat to survive. The drain on this nourishment is slow, as it necessarily must be, for this single source of food must last for a period of perhaps 5 months.

The date of emergence varies. Although February 2nd is recognized as groundhog day on our calendar, this date would be chilly indeed on the peaks of our Southwest mountains. Nevertheless, the marmots do appear before the snow is entirely gone, and once their sleep has ended they rarely resume it, whether or not they see their shadows.

Breeding takes place shortly after emergence. The young are born in April or May. They are born blind; the eyes do not open until about a month after birth. The youngsters develop rapidly, and by the time they are half grown a daily session of sunbathing and playful tussles outside the entrance of the den is part of their routine. By September they are fully grown, and at this time they usually strike out for themselves, although cases have been recorded in which the family remained together through the first winter’s hibernation.

Marmots have always been favorites of this writer. Their clear-toned whistle is as much a symbol of the rugged peaks and lovely fir-rimmed mountain meadows as the coyote’s barks are of the desert. Several writers characterize marmots as “stupid.” Surely this is an unfortunate choice of word. Stupid by what standards? Can one species be compared with another when all must live under the different conditions to which they have adapted themselves? The mere fact that a balance of Nature has been attained indicates that each has the adaptations, the habits, and the degree of intelligence necessary for that species to live in harmony with the whole.

Deermouse (white-footed mouse) The genus Peromyscus (Greek: pera, pouch, and muscus, diminutive of mys, mouse)

Range: All life zones throughout North America.

Habitat: Some species of deermouse can be found in almost any association imaginable.

Description: A large-eared mouse with white feet. Since there are many species in this genus and most of them are quite similar, characteristics common to the greatest number will be given. Bear in mind that these may not hold true with every species of the genus.

Deermice are rather small, averaging 7 to 8 inches long. Tail 3 to 4 inches. Most species are a buffy gray above shading to brighter buff on the sides and light buff to white beneath. Feet are always white. The ears are large for a mouse, usually sparsely covered with short, fine hairs, but in some species almost naked. Eyes appear black but have a brownish shade when viewed closely in a good light. Tail long, up to the length of head and body, as a rule sparsely haired; bicolor in some species. Young, four to six, born almost any time of the year, with several litters except at higher elevations where only one litter may be born, and this during late spring.

In the Southwest the mild climate and plentiful food supply of the lower life zones combine to attract a great number of small rodents. By far the greater number of species is found in the Upper and Lower Sonoran Zones. This does not mean that mice are rare in the high mountains. They live there in great numbers, but of fewer species. One is the long-tailed deermouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), probably the most outstanding member of the genus, and the most widely distributed mouse in the United States. As might be expected, it is quite variable in appearance, having at least three distinct color phases. These vary from golden tan to a dark gray. All phases have a sharper bicolor tail, white beneath and like the rest of the upper body on top.

The deermouse is well known to those who are fortunate enough to own summer cabins in the mountains. This is the little rodent which moves into the cabin as soon as the vacationer departs. Fortunately it is not so destructive as the common house mouse (which, by the way, is an introduced species) and limits its destructiveness for the most part to building a large and comfortable nest in which to live during the winter months. Deermice do not hibernate, so they must prepare against the bitter cold. However, it is not their habit to store food either, and doubtless many of them starve to death over a hard winter.

Mountain vole Microtus montanus (Latin: small ear ... of the mountains)

Range: The mountainous regions of northwestern United States extending eastward to central Colorado and southward below the northern borders of Arizona and New Mexico.

Habitat: Valleys and grassy meadows seldom lower than the Transition Zone.

Description: A small sturdy rodent with short tail, total length 5½ to 7½ inches. Tail 1½ to 2½ inches. This is a very short tail for a rodent of this size, amounting to only about a fourth of the total length. Color, grayish brown to black above; underparts lighter to a silvery gray. This is but one of many species found in southwestern mountains. The Mexican vole and the long-tailed vole are two which share its range. They are quite similar in appearance and their life histories also are much the same.

In several ways this heavy-set rodent resembles the pocket gopher. The small ears and eyes as well as the short tail are all reminiscent of that animal. Like many other rodents, voles are quite prolific. From four to eight young are born in a litter. The number of litters each year depends to a great extent on the altitude. They have been recorded in the Canadian Zone, where the summers are too short to permit the rearing of more than one litter. In the Transition Life Zone they commonly bear two litters and sometimes more each year.

These are the small rodents which most people call “field” or “meadow” mice. In the prairie states this genus is well known for its habit of congregating under shocks of small grain and corn. Here they build their nests and temporarily live in peace and plenty. When the shocks are taken from the field, they are rudely evicted from their snug shelters to fall prey to the farmer’s dog or to face the prospect of building a new home before winter descends upon them. In the West, too, this “field mouse” makes itself at home in agricultural areas, but its native haunts are the natural meadows in mountain valleys. Here they build tunnels in the tangled growth of grass, and excavate shallow burrows in the soft earth. Marshy places are particularly to their liking, because they are quite at home in water. Too, the thick cover in these areas gives them considerable protection from their many enemies. A normally high reproduction rate (several litters per year with up to eight young in each litter) coupled with a secretive way of life insures their perpetuation. In cases where a natural balance has been upset, their population can soar to fantastic heights. In one agricultural district in Nevada a survey revealed an estimated 8,000 to 12,000 “field mice” per acre.

Voles do not hibernate. They are active night and day, summer and winter. During winter storms they may remain in their snug nests for a few days at a time, but with the return of clear weather, openings to their tunnels will soon appear in freshly fallen snow.

Western jumping mouse Zapus princeps (Greek: za, intensive and pous, foot. Latin: princeps, chief)

Range: Western United States from central Arizona and New Mexico to Alaska.

Habitat: High mountains in dry places with abundant low ground cover.