A WAKE-UP WORTH CELEBRATING: VANCOUVER ISLAND MARMOTS EMERGE FOR A NEW BEGINNING

May 5, 2026

5 MAY 2026 (Calgary, AB) – Tucked away in wooden nest boxes indoors, they’ve been sleeping for months. 

Now, as spring returns, Vancouver Island marmots at the Wilder Institute’s Archibald Biodiversity Centre (ABC) are fully awake, signalling the start of a new and hopeful chapter for one of Canada’s most endangered mammals. But this moment isn’t left to chance. 

While the marmots hibernated through the winter, the Animal Care, Health & Welfare (ACHW) team at the ABC was working behind the scenes, carefully planning for this exact moment. Today, 19 marmots, nine males and ten females, are part of a coordinated conservation breeding program designed to give the species its best possible chance at recovery. One female remains unpaired, while the others are housed in carefully managed breeding pairs. 

“A lot of the work that supports breeding success happens months before the marmots ever wake up,” said Caitlin Slade, Animal Care Manager at the Wilder Institute. “We’re thinking ahead to make sure each pairing has the best possible chance to contribute to the long-term recovery of the species.” 

Each year, the studbook keeper recommends breeding pairs to the Vancouver Island marmot Recovery Implementation Group based on genetics, age, and reproductive history. These decisions, made months in advance, help strengthen the overall health and diversity of the population across breeding centres, including the Wilder Institute, the Marmot Recovery Foundation, and the Toronto Zoo. 

Then comes a remarkable step, one that happens while the marmots are still asleep. 

“When a strong genetic match is identified, we introduce the pair during hibernation,” said Slade. “That way, they wake up together, already sharing the same space and beginning to acclimate to one another from the very start.” 

By sharing those first moments of wakefulness, marmots are more likely to bond, increasing the likelihood of successful breeding during their short spring window. 

Each season brings a mix of experienced pairs and new introductions. This year includes two new pairings, including ‘Sombrio’ and ‘Bessie’. Both are two years old and not yet expected to breed, but this early pairing helps build familiarity and strengthens their bond ahead of future breeding seasons. Sombrio was born under the Wilder Institute’s care in 2024 and spent his first hibernation at the Marmot Recovery Foundation’s Tony Barrett Mount Washington Marmot Recovery Centre on Vancouver Island before returning in fall 2025 with Bessie, who was also born in 2024 at the Recovery Centre and transferred at the same time. 

Last year offered a glimpse of what’s possible. ‘Pokey’, born at the Toronto Zoo in 2022, was paired with ‘Nala’ during hibernation in 2024. At three years old, Pokey had his first opportunity to breed, and the pair welcomed their first litter of two pups in 2025. They remain paired this year, with hopes for continued success. 

Throughout April, as the marmots fully emerge, those carefully planned introductions begin to take shape. Within weeks, new life may follow. After a gestation period of about 30 days, pups are born in sheltered nest boxes or underground burrows. At first, their presence is barely noticeable, soft squeaks from beneath the surface. As the days pass, those sounds grow stronger and echo through the ABC as a sign of progress. 

Each pup represents more than a single success. They are part of a larger story of recovery. Once on the brink of extinction, with fewer than 30 individuals remaining in the wild, the Vancouver Island marmot continues to rely on dedicated conservation efforts. Today, the wild population exceeds 400 individuals.

And it all begins here, with a carefully chosen match. 

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