Lawsuit Aims to Help Olympic Marmots
Olympic marmots — large, round-bodied squirrels who live almost entirely inside Olympic National Park in Washington state — are threatened by climate change and coyote predation. So in May 2024 the Center for Biological Diversity, (CBD) petitioned for their Endangered Species Act protection, and this week sued the Trump administration for failing to act on their petition.
Olympic marmots live in alpine and subalpine meadows, which are rapidly changing because of warming temperatures, snow loss, increased and longer wildfire seasons, and shifting tree lines. And losing wolves from the ecosystem has allowed in more coyotes — who eat more marmots.
“These adorable, fluffy marmots need action now to save them from extinction,” said the Center’s Aaron Kunkler. “We have to move quickly away from dirty fossil fuels if this species and so many other animals are to have any chance at survival. Reintroducing wolves to the park would help, too.”
Olympic Climate Action 