rockchuck
Burrowing alpine rodent
A rockchuck is another name for the yellow-bellied marmot, a large ground squirrel found in the rocky, mountainous regions of western North America.
The name reflects the animal's habitat among rocks and boulders, where it suns itself and retreats for safety.
Rockchucks are social creatures that live in colonies and hibernate through winter.
We spotted a rockchuck sunning on a boulder near the trailhead.
North American burrowing marmot
- woodchuckNorth American burrowing marmot
- rodentGnawing mammal order
- yellow-belliedEasily frightened, timid
- herbivorePlant-only consumer
fur · hibernation · whiskers · wildlife · mammal · fauna · foraging · gnawing
Private room or lair
- tunnelEnclosed underground route
- excavateRemove earth systematically
- digUnearth by shoveling
- undergroundBelow ground or countercultural
hole · chamber · warren · lair · shelter · hideout · nest · dugout
groundhog
North American burrowing marmot
- woodchuckNorth American burrowing marmot
- rodentGnawing mammal order
- yellow-belliedEasily frightened, timid
herbivore · fur · hibernation · whiskers · wildlife · mammal · fauna · foraging · gnawing · vegetation
den
Private room or lair
underground · hole · chamber · warren · lair · shelter · hideout · nest · dugout · cavity
mountain
Tall natural landmass
talus · scree · boulder · outcrop · treeline · sierra · slope · cliff · terrain · peak
alarm call
Scheduled rousing notification
signal · shrill · piercing · predator · sentinel · communication · cry · sound · squeak · vocalization