North America, averaging slight heavier in mean body mass than hoary marmot and Vancouver marmot. Mean linear dimensions suggest the Olympic species is about 7% larger on average than these other two large North America species. The species rivals some lesser-studied Asian species as the largest marmots and largest members of the squirrel family, with similar body masses attainable by some species such as the Tarbagan marmot and the Himalayan marmot. The coat is double-layered, consisting of soft thick underfur, for warmth, and coarser outer hairs. Infant marmots' fur is dark gray in color; this changes in the yearling period to grayish brown with lighter patches. The adult coat is brown on the body with some smaller white or pale brown patches for most of the year, becoming darker overall as the year progresses. The first molt of the year occurs in June, commencing with two black patches of fur forming on the back of the shoulders. This black coloration then spreads to the rest of the body, and by the fall the coat is almost black. A second molt is thought to occur during hibernation, and upon emergence from hibernation in the spring Olympic marmots may be tan or yellowish. The Olympic marmot's muzzle is almost always white, with a white band in front of the eyes. This species can be readily distinguished from the hoary marmot, with which it shares almost every other physical trait, by the lack of contrasting black feet and a black spot on the head. The Vancouver Island marmot has a similar coat color—chocolate brown with white patches. Distribution and habitat Olympic marmots are native to the Olympic Mountains in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state. About 90% of Olympic marmots' total habitat is located in Olympic National Park, where they are often sighted, especially on Hurricane Hill. Marmots are in decline in some areas of the park due to the encroachment of trees into meadows as well as predation by coyotes, and they are seldom seen in the wetter southwestern part. Within the park, Olympic marmots inhabit lush sub-alpine and alpine meadows, fields, and montane scree slopes. They live in colonies spread out in various locations in the mountains and containing the burrows of differing numbers of marmot families. Some meadows can contain as few as one marmot family, and some can have multiple families adding up to 40 marmots. There is a