A large ground squirrel that lives in colonies and hibernates through the winter.
- Group: Mammal
- Habitats: Alpine meadow
- Regions: Ü Tsang, Kham, Amdo
Habitat
Alpine meadows and steppe.
Diet
Grasses and herbs.
Ecological role
An important prey animal; its burrows shelter other species.
Threats
Hunting and control campaigns, partly because marmots can carry plague.
Conservation
Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.