Marmot Mounds by Satellite

Marmots are burrowing rodents whose mounds can be seen from space. This activity compares current data with images of marmot mounds taken from spy satellites decades ago during the Cold War, to draw conclusions about changes in marmot populations over time. A key measure of how well a species is doing is abundance. The total population of a species can be a good indicator of how well their habitat needs are being met. Abundance numbers are relative because some species, like mammalian top predators, have naturally smaller populations, while many insects have huge population numbers. Evidence about population size in the past is essential to understand how well we’re protecting species today.