Aug 26, 2012

More marmot




This morning, Ashley Kinney, Wildlife Rehabilitation Supervisor for the Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley, headed for Yosemite to return the marmot to her home territory.

Once inside the national park, rangers assisted in helping choose a location that was quiet and known to support marmots.

It was mid-afternoon when Ashley reached the released site.







THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED IN THE RESCUE AND RELEASE!!!


More on marmots:

Yellow-bellied marmots live communally, in harems, with a single male maintaining two to three females over an area that can be as large as 5 acres. There is a single breeding season, in spring, with the young raised jointly by the females.


Interestingly, research has found that female pups with lots of brothers tend to be 'tom boys'. That's because, in the womb, they were exposed to high levels of the hormone testosterone. Masculinized females tend to be more playful and adventuresome than feminine females. Read more about this interesting phenomenon, HERE.

How this might relate to you? Apparently, more than 90% of Americans have been contaminated by a chemical, 
Bisphenol A (BPA), that mimics the hormone estrogen. The marmot study emphasizes how slight changes in hormone levels within the womb can greatly influence development and behavior. Read one professor's take on it, HERE.


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Good Job Ashley :D