The Vancouver Island MarmotThe Vancouver Island Marmot

Is it worth saving?

What can we do?

Lindsay Hinds 9703850 Educ 406

Assignment #11

In Order To Answer This Question In Order To Answer This Question We Need To Know About...We Need To Know About... The Life Cycle of the

Vancouver Island Marmot

Their Habitat Why they are

endangered

But First...Some Terminology But First...Some Terminology We Will Need to Know.We Will Need to Know.

LifecycleLifecycle: changes an organism passes through during it’s development.

HabitatHabitat: place or environment where an animal normally lives.

EndangeredEndangered: species threatened with extinction.

Let’s Look at Their LifecycleLet’s Look at Their Lifecycle They have rich chocolate brown fur with

contrasting white patches They grow as big as house cats They Build big burrows and hibernate in

them from September to April Feed on Grasses and Flowers Highly social and they live in colonies

Let’s Look at Their HabitatLet’s Look at Their Habitat The Marmot are found in

high mountainhigh mountain areas on Vancouver Island and nowhere else in the world.

These areas are called sub-sub-alpine meadowsalpine meadows.

They require deep soil for burrowing and good look out spots.

Teenage males move and colonizecolonize other areas when they are old enough.

Why the Vancouver Island Why the Vancouver Island Marmot is Endangered....?Marmot is Endangered....?

Clear-cuts: Colonizing Males mistake clear cuts for sub alpine terrain.

Fewer Offspring: Marmots won’t travel as far and seek new mates.

Disease: Diseases may spread easily in clear cuts.

Predators: Marmots may be more visible in clear cuts.

Facts About Endangered MarmotsFacts About Endangered Marmots

E n da n ge re m e nt a nd C le a r-cu ts

D ise a ses in C lea rcu ts.D ise ase m a y spre a d m o ree a s ily in c le a rcu ts ca u s ing

m ore de a th s.

R e d u ce s C o lo n iza tio n .T e e n ag e m a le s w ill co lo n ize

c le a r-cu t fo re s ts b eca u seth e y re sem b le m arm o t h a b ita ts.

P re d a to rs.M a rm o ts m a y b e m o re v is ib le to p red a to rs in

c le a rcu ts.

C le a r cu tttin g Fo re s tsC a u se s th e M a rm o ts to

b e e n da ng ere d fo rth re e re aso ns

Declining Marmot PopulationDeclining Marmot Population Numbers.Numbers.

0

50

100

150

200

250

Number of Marmots

1984 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Year

Marmot Population Numbers in Wild and In Captivity

In WildIn Captivity

ConclusionConclusion

The wild populations of Marmots are declining. Some Marmots are in captivity in order to increase their

survival and to help produce new offspring. Clear-cuts reduce the survival of the Marmots Marmots are like any organism special and an integral part

of an environment (ecosystem). The Vancouver Island Marmots are extra-special because

they are found nowhere else on earth The Vancouver Island Marmots need our help.

Your AssignmentYour AssignmentIn order to help increase the survival of the Vancouver

Island Marmot you will need to inform more peoples about their dim situation.

You will create one of the following documents: Newspaper Article (letter to the editor) Journal Entry Poster or a banner Letter to a Forestry Company

In your document you will state your reasons why the Vancouver Island Marmot must be saved and why you need the intended audiences support.

Evaluation of AssignmentCriteria for Evaluation Marked out of

Grammar. /10

Creativity /20

You’ve stated your position and defended it.

/10

Neatness of format used. /5