Jacques Fortier Photography

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Yellow-Bellied Marmot

  • Marmot Scene

    Marmot Scene

    A fun fact about Yellow-Bellied Marmots: They’re so chonky, that if you listen carefully you can hear loose talus rocks go “clunk” as the marmots walk by. Fortunately, the marmots aren’t ambush predators, so this doesn’t hold them back very much.

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    July 7, 2025
    Desolation Wilderness, Sierra Nevada, Wildlife Landscape, Yellow-Bellied Marmot
  • The Chonkiest Marmot

    The Chonkiest Marmot

    Miles Chonkington, the world’s widest Yellow-Bellied Marmot, briefly started at right guard for the San Francisco 49ers. He was released after he hibernated through most of the regular season.

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    June 27, 2025
    Desolation Wilderness, Sierra Nevada, Yellow-Bellied Marmot
  • Thick and Fluffy

    Thick and Fluffy

    I have returned from a four day expedition to the Desolation Wilderness in the northern Sierra, where I discovered Miles Chonkington, a truly thick Yellow-Bellied Marmot. Miles enjoys long strolls on the talus, snacking on wildflowers, and long cozy naps.

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    June 26, 2025
    Desolation Wilderness, Sierra Nevada, Yellow-Bellied Marmot
  • High Sierra Pikas

    High Sierra Pikas

    I’ve wanted to photograph American Pikas for a while now. If you aren’t familiar with them, pikas are close relatives of rabbits and hares. They prefer cold climates, which means living at very high altitudes (often above 10,000 ft) in the United States. Unlike many other cold climate mammals, pikas don’t hibernate. Instead, they spend

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    December 21, 2024
    American Pika, Inyo National Forest, Sierra Nevada, Stellars Jay, Yellow-Bellied Marmot, Yosemite

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