A team of scientists thought of a creative idea to continue their long-term study on marmots (旱獭). They shared videos of these furry animals on an online platform. They named their account MarmotHub.
The project is led by Daniel Blumstein, a professor from UCLA. For over 60 years, scientists have collected information about marmots to study their behaviour, health and social life. One day, while waiting for marmots in a meadow (草地), Blumstein got an idea from a TV show. He discussed the plan with his lab members. Soon, MarmotHub was created. It quickly became popular. Thousands of visitors donated over $6,000. Scientists explain animal facts in the videos and help people learn more about nature.
The videos are family-friendly and suitable for all ages. People can watch yellow-bellied marmots living in the Colorado Rockies. In the videos, the marmots come out of holes, play with each other and get ready for the cold winter. However, the National Science Foundation rejected the team’s request for more support. The team worried that their 60-year research would end.
The team also started “Fat Marmot Week”. It is a fun competition. Marmots need to store fat to survive winter hibernation (冬眠). Though the money from the account cannot fully support the project, it helps spread their research to more people. These lovely little animals are helping keep important science alive.
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