Researchers at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, Colorado, have launched a public voting contest called "Fat Marmot Week" to secure funding for long-term wildlife research. The project, led by scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Ottawa, is seeking alternative revenue sources following federal budget cuts.
The study, established in 1962, tracks yellow-bellied marmots in the Rocky Mountains. Recent data from the site showed a significant population decline, with two-thirds of a monitored group dying during the last hibernation period. Project leader Dan Blumstein attributed the deaths to a lack of insulating snow cover caused by record-low snowpack and high temperatures.
The "Fat Marmot Week" contest, scheduled to begin voting on Monday, features specific animals such as "Stonehenge" and "Citroen" to encourage public donations. To further supplement the loss of federal funds, the team has posted videos on the platform OnlyFans. Additionally, a supporter created a cryptocurrency called $OnlyMarms, which donates transaction fees to the study and has raised approximately $100,000 to date.
For residents and agricultural workers in the Upper Colorado River Basin—which spans Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico—the scale of environmental change reported by the study is significant. The researchers noted that snowpack in the region hit record lows this year, making the recent "snow drought" 14 times more likely due to climate change. Because these mountains feed the Colorado River, the researchers stated that changes in precipitation patterns and marmot survival rates serve as indicators for broader shifts in regional drinking water supplies and pollinator health.
A typical reader or local resident would notice these impacts through changes in water availability and the loss of local wildlife, as the monitored population dropped from 160 animals to 60 in a single season. The transition to non-traditional funding models like cryptocurrency and content platforms sets a precedent for how long-term ecological studies may operate if federal grants remain unavailable. The project is currently working toward its $200,000 goal, with the inaugural Fat Marmot Week voting serving as the next major fundraising milestone starting Monday.