Dawn the Marmot Wins Inaugural Fat Marmot Week

Dawn has been named the winner of the inaugural Fat Marmot Week, a fundraising and awareness event organized by the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory’s Marmot Project. The yellow-bellied marmot weighed six kilograms at the event’s final weigh-in, having gained two kilograms while preparing for hibernation. Julien Martin, a co-leader of the project, told The Guardian that Dawn’s weight was among the heaviest the team had ever recorded for the species. Dawn also won the public vote, receiving support in a field that included Stonehenge, G, Dandelion, 1, Citroen, Open Kite and Dan’s Hat. More than 23,000 votes were cast. The competition grew out of OnlyMarms, an OnlyFans project launched by the Marmot Project after funding cuts threatened its work. Fat Marmot Week was intended to continue raising money and attention for the research program while fans selected their favorite marmots. According to Dawn’s profile, he is a father to many litters from the past five years and is known for watching over his pups. The profile also says he enjoys eating rocks. The team plans to make Fat Marmot Week an annual event, giving the other competitors another chance to gain weight before hibernation. Open Kite did not take part in the final weigh-in, leaving open the possibility of a different result next year.