Marmota baibacina

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

View Printer Friendly

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	RODENTIA	SCIURIDAE

Scientific Name:

Marmota baibacina

Species Authority:

Kastschenko, 1899

Common Name/s:

English

–

Altai Marmot, Gray Marmot, Grey Marmot

Synonym/s:

Marmota baibacina Stroganov & Yudin, 1956 ssp. kastschenkoi

Marmota baibacina Skalon, 1950 ssp. ognevi

Marmota centralis (Thomas, 1909)

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

Batbold, J., Batsaikhan, N. & Shar, S.

Evaluator/s:

Amori, G. (Small Nonvolant Mammal Red List Authority) & Tsytsulina, K. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Justification:
A widespread species, not believed to be declining at a significant rate. Least Concern.

History:

1996

–

Lower Risk/least concern (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Distributed in mountain (up to 4000 m) steppes and alpine meadows in W Siberia, and Tuva (Russia), W Mongolia (Mongol Altai Mountain Range), E Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and China (Xinjiang).
Countries:	Native: China (Xinjiang); Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Mongolia; Russian Federation
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	Not abundant in northern parts of the range. In 1990, the Mongolian population size was estimated to be 600,000 (Demberel and Batbold, 1991).
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Inhabits mountain steppes and alpine meadows (up to 4000 m) spreading over gentle slopes. Fewer live in stony mountain steppes strewn with boulders. Where the Gray Marmot lives in sympatry with the Siberian Marmot, the Gray Marmot occupies only tips of ridges characterized by alpine vegetation while the Siberian Marmot inhabits productive highland valleys. This species, like most marmots, is highly social, and lives in colonies with many burrows. Summer and winter burrows are usually separate; winter burrows are deeper, while summer burrows are just as long, but not as deep; both types may hold 2-3 marmots, but in winter, up to 10. Marmots eat a wide variety of food plants, which vary with season. Early spring foods include Artemisia frigida; by late spring and early summer their diet consists mainly of grasses; and by late summer, herbaceous vegetation. Sometimes can eat animals. Mating begins in early May and ends by the beginning of June. Gestation lasts 40 days. Reproduces once a year, litter size is 2-6 pups. Hibernation is initiated at different times in different places, from August to October, and appears influenced by local weather and food resources. Hibernation lasts 7-8 months. Enemies include large raptors, wolves and other smaller predators such as foxes, steppe polecats, and Pallas’ cats.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

Inhabits mountain steppes and alpine meadows (up to 4000 m) spreading over gentle slopes. Fewer live in stony mountain steppes strewn with boulders. Where the Gray Marmot lives in sympatry with the Siberian Marmot, the Gray Marmot occupies only tips of ridges characterized by alpine vegetation while the Siberian Marmot inhabits productive highland valleys. This species, like most marmots, is highly social, and lives in colonies with many burrows. Summer and winter burrows are usually separate; winter burrows are deeper, while summer burrows are just as long, but not as deep; both types may hold 2-3 marmots, but in winter, up to 10. Marmots eat a wide variety of food plants, which vary with season. Early spring foods include Artemisia frigida; by late spring and early summer their diet consists mainly of grasses; and by late summer, herbaceous vegetation. Sometimes can eat animals. Mating begins in early May and ends by the beginning of June. Gestation lasts 40 days. Reproduces once a year, litter size is 2-6 pups. Hibernation is initiated at different times in different places, from August to October, and appears influenced by local weather and food resources. Hibernation lasts 7-8 months. Enemies include large raptors, wolves and other smaller predators such as foxes, steppe polecats, and Pallas’ cats.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Unsustainable hunting for meat and for use in traditional medicines, although no international trade is believed to be occurring at present. Possible habitat degradation through grazing by increasing numbers of livestock.

Major Threat(s):

Unsustainable hunting for meat and for use in traditional medicines, although no international trade is believed to be occurring at present. Possible habitat degradation through grazing by increasing numbers of livestock.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Hunting is permitted between August 11th and October 15th (MNE, 2005). Occurs within some protected areas (approximately 16% of the species’ range in Mongolia). Further research, legislation and education is recommended.

Conservation Actions:

Hunting is permitted between August 11th and October 15th (MNE, 2005). Occurs within some protected areas (approximately 16% of the species’ range in Mongolia). Further research, legislation and education is recommended.

Citation:	Batbold, J., Batsaikhan, N. & Shar, S. 2008. Marmota baibacina. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 February 2010.
Disclaimer:	To make use of this information, please check the <Terms of Use>.
Feedback:	If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided