Marmot in Spain

marmot: marmota: Marmota marmota

Marmots became extinct in the Pyrenees during the last ice age, but were introduced by hunters into the French Pyrenees in 1948 in an attempt to reduce the pressure of predation on chamois by golden eagles. By the late 1960s, they had crossed the frontier, and have since flourished on the warmer side of the range. Unlike other introductions, the arrival of marmots appears to have had no negative consequences on ecologies. They are likely to continue to expand in the coming decades much to the delight of hikers and birds of prey.

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