Washington State Mammal
Olympic Marmot (common name) Marmota olympus (scientific name) Overview A large member of the squirrel family that lives in underground burrows at high altitudes, the marmot has fur that allows it to live in cold environments. Its claws are ideal for digging extensive burrows. The marmot has a variety of calls, chirps, growls, and whistles, most of which are intended to alert other marmots to predators like eagles, coyotes, bears, foxes, wolves, and pumas. Alert calls are repetitive and vary in terms of frequency and pitch depending on the degree of danger. Flat calls are the most common. The only mammal native to Washington state, the Olympic marmot was designated the state’s official endemic mammal in 2009. Close-up STATUS Official State Endemic Mammal ALSO KNOWN AS Alpine marmot, woodchuck PHYSICAL DETAILS Marmots have thick fur that even covers their ears. The fur is brown and white in the spring, but the sun bleaches it to a yellowish color in the summer. This mammal has large, rounded claws.    Males Females Size 17–20 in (46-53 cm) long; tail is 7–10 in (18–25 cm) 17–20 in (46-53 cm) long; tail is 7–10 in (18–25 cm) Weight 6.6–15.4 pounds (3–7 kg); males are larger than females. 6.6–15.4 pounds (3–7 kg); males are larger than females. LIFESPAN 10-15 years HABITAT Alpine and subalpine meadows and rocky slopes at elevations over 4,800 feet (1,455 m) and under 13,000 feet (3,940 m). Prefers to colonize south-facing slopes. Burrows are constructed beneath rocky slopes and crevices in cliff faces. Range: The Olympic Peninsula in Washington State Conservation: Olympic marmots are in decline in some areas due to the encroachment of trees into the meadows, hunting, and predation by coyotes. BEHAVIOR Marmots are social animals that live in group burrows of 12 or more animals. These can extend over 33 feet (10 m) and have multiple entrances. Each burrow typically includes one adult male, two to four adult females, and four or five yearling or newborn offspring per female. The females and their young live in separate parts of a communal burrow and they are territorial within the family. All animals in the burrow, however, will hibernate together in one room from September through May. Female marmots bear a litter on alternate years. Newborns stay with their family for at least two years. The young do not reach sexual maturity until their third year, when they mate and move into a new burrow. If threatened, a marmot is able to swim and climb trees. Top land speed recorded: 10 mph (16 kph) DIET During their winter hibernation, marmots live off stored fat reserves built up in the summer. Immediately after hibernation, their diet consists primarily of roots until grasses, herbs, mosses, berries, and flowers appear in the spring. They will also eat an occasional insect. OFFSPRING Breeding interval: Every 2 years Birthing period: Late winter to early spring, when the marmot emerges from hibernation. Average litter size: 4 pups Size at birth: 4 oz (113 g) TRIVIA Marmots greet each other by touching noses, touching nose to cheek, and nibbling on each other's ears and neck. Marmots use a specific communal area outside of their burrow system as their "toilet."
	Click to enlarge an image Close-up of Olympic Marmot Pair of Olympic Marmots on High Alert Olympic Marmot CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae Tribe: Marmotini Genus: Marmota Species: M. olympus
	Data Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Author: World Trade Press

Washington State Mammal
Orca (common name) Orcinus orca (scientific name) Overview The orca, commonly called the "killer whale," is among the fastest marine mammals. It can reach speeds of up to 30 knots (56 kph). Despite its name, the killer whale is more closely related to dolphins than whales, and is in fact the largest species of oceanic dolphins. Its taxonomic family, called Delphinidae, first appeared about 11 million years ago during the Miocene epoch. Close-up STATUS Official State Marine Mammal ALSO KNOWN AS Killer whale, blackfish PHYSICAL DETAILS The orca’s sleek body type, called a fusiform, tapers at both ends. This streamlined adaptation aids in swimming. The mammal is mainly black with large white areas near the eye, on the underside, and behind the pectoral flipper. There is also a gray area directly behind the dorsal fin. The dorsal fin of a female is curved, while a male’s is straighter and about twice as long, up to 6.6 feet (2 m) tall. The orca’s coloring aids in hunting, as the mammal blends in with its surroundings and is difficult for prey to see.    Males Females Size 20–30 ft (6–9 m) 16–23 feet (5–7 m) Weight 8,000–12,000 lbs (3,628–5,442 kg) 3,000–8,000 lbs (1,361–3,628 kg) LIFESPAN Killer whales live for 25 to 60 years on average. Females live longer than males and can survive up to 90 years. HABITAT Killer whales live in coastal waters as well as open seas, and in every ocean on the planet, making them the most widely distributed mammal. Orcae are most abundant in colder climates, such as the waters near Antarctica, Alaska, Iceland, and Norway. BEHAVIOR Orcae live in matrilineal groups, and up to four related groups form pods. Pods consist of a few individuals up to as many as 50. Pods form larger clans. and clans that regularly interact are called communities. Only elephants and the higher primates have more complex social structures than killer whales. This marine mammal is a fast swimmer, and it performs maneuvers such as breaching (lifting most of its body out of the water), porpoising (leaping out of the water), and spyhopping (holding a portion of its body and its eyes above the water’s surface for a period of time). It has excellent vision, hearing, and sense of touch. The killer whale employs echolocation, making clicks and whistles and listening for echos to navigate, hunt, and communicate. Because killer whales are trainable, playful, and considered intelligent, they have become popular at aquatic sea parks and aquariums. Some captive animals have had reduced lifespans and have developed diseases, prompting protest from animal rights organizations. Conservation Status: Although the killer whale is widely distributed, it is considered "data deficient" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) because the status of most populations is unknown. The status was changed from conservation dependent in 2008. Some populations are considered endangered or threatened. DIET Having no natural predators besides perhaps large sharks (and humans), killer whales are considered apex predators. They hunt marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, walruses, porpoises, and whales, as well as fish such as salmon, herring, tuna, and sharks. They often hunt in packs. OFFSPRING Breeding interval: Once every 5 years Birthing period: 15–18 months Average litter size: Usually one calf Size at birth: 397 lb (180 kg) and 7.9 ft (2.4 m) TRIVIA The largest orca ever recorded was a male 32 feet (9.8 m) long, weighing 22,000 pounds (10,000 kg). By the mid 20th century, killer whales, along with other whale species, had become the targets of whalers. Thousands were taken until the International Whaling Commission recommended banning the practice. Today, there are no large-scale hunts of orcae, although Greenland and Indonesia permit small subsistence hunts. All marine mammals are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). This legislation, enacted on October 21, 1972, protects marine mammals from being taken in U.S. waters or by U.S citizens in other waters. It also prohibits the importation of marine mammals and marine mammal products into the United States.
	Click to enlarge an image Orca Up Close Pair of Breaching Killer Whales A Killer Whale Spyhopping CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Cetacea Suborder: Odontoceti Family: Delphinidae Genus: Orcinus Species: O. orca
	Author: World Trade Press