The rise of the urban marmot
Thursday, August 7, 2014 - 12:33
in Paleontology & Archaeology
Scientists are spending this summer researching why the local population of yellow-bellied marmots -- those gregarious, burrowing rodents ubiquitous near the Spokane River -- are not only surviving but thriving in the urban areas of Spokane. Most research exploring patterns of species survival has focused on birds; little is known about the physiological mechanisms that allow mammals to survive in urban environments.