Vancouver Island Marmot Gets Population Boost as Breeding Facility Births 14 Pups

In a Canadian breeding facility, 14 Vancouver Island marmot pups have been born, increasing the population of the species.

14 Vancouver Island Marmot Pups and Counting

The Vancouver Island marmot is among the most endangered species in Canada; predictions for 2021 indicate that there are only 250 left in existence.

But because of the work of specialists at the Wilder Institute, a Calgary-based organization dedicated to wildlife protection, the endangered species has recently received a little boost.

The Archibald Biodiversity Centre (ABC), Wilder Institute's newest conservation breeding and research facility, had its first litter of 14 puppies in late June, according to officials. 14 is not likely to be the final number, according to officials at the time of the announcement, who also predicted the arrival of more "surprise" pups.

That has come to pass as three more pups were discovered following the announcement, increasing the total to seventeen.

The Wilder Institute's Animal Care ABC Manager, Caitlin Slade, stated that they have been impatiently awaiting the appearance of these puppies since the spring.

After giving birth, Vancouver Island marmot pups will remain in their nest boxes with their mother, according to Slade, so it's crucial to avoid disturbing them for the first two weeks.

Conservation Efforts

There are currently three marmot breeding facilities on Vancouver Island; the other two are located at the Toronto Zoo and the Tony Barrett Mt. Washington Marmot Recovery Centre.

The only place where Vancouver Island marmots can be found is in Canada. The species saw a sharp decrease in the 1990s; by 1998, only 78 remained.

Over the past 20 years, population numbers have more than tripled because of aggressive conservation initiatives. Many of the puppies who were just born in Alberta will be released into the wild before being finally moved to a recovery facility in British Columbia. To increase genetic diversity for upcoming breeding initiatives, some might stay in captivity, The Weather Network reports.

157 of the 214 marmots that were born at the facility, according to the Wilder Institute website, have been shipped to British Columbia for release. The conservation breeding program uses marmots that are not released to maintain the genetic variety of the population going forward.

Releasing Marmots in the Wild

Because of their tiny size and potential for high family composition, Vancouver Island marmot colonies sometimes lack mate selection. Marmots boost their selection by abandoning their natal colony to locate a partner at a colony nearby or draw a mate dispersing from another colony to escape the impact constant inbreeding will have on the species.

There must be a thriving network of colonies within the dispersal region for dispersing marmots to locate probable mates. Metapopulations are the collective term for these larger colonies. Marmots' migration across colonies enables the establishment of new colonies and the replenishment of dwindling colonies. This maintains a healthy population and serves as a crucial species protection.

Spreading the marmots out in numerous smaller colonies prevents the extinction of the species in the case that just one colony experiences a catastrophic occurrence, according to Marmot Recovery Foundation.