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Long Tailed Marmot

Aug. 23, 2026

Recently, Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra brings thousands of pilgrims into a fragile Himalayan ecosystem where long‑tailed marmots live.

About Long Tailed Marmot:

  • It is a rodent of the high-altitude areas of the Kashmir Himalaya.
  • It is also known as the golden marmot and is a member of the Sciuridae family.
  • Appearance: It has vibrant golden fur and has relatively long tail, robust body, and golden-brown coat that vary among subspecies.
  • Habitat: It inhabits alpine meadows and rocky slopes, where its life is closely linked to the seasonal availability of vegetation.
  • Distribution: They are found in parts of Central Asia and South Asia, including Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, and Northwestern India.
    • In India, they are found in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
  • Diet: Herbivorous by nature, it feeds on vegetation in its alpine habitat.
  • It is a diurnal and social mammal that thrives in challenging alpine habitats.
  • Conservation Status:
    • IUCN Red List: Least Concern

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