Dawn the marmot wins inaugural Fat Marmot Week contest

Dawn, a six-year-old yellow-bellied marmot, has been crowned the winner of the inaugural Fat Marmot Week 2026. The marmot secured back-to-back victories in both the mass-gain and popular-vote competitions. Weighing approximately 6kg (13.2lb), organizers from the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) described the animal as one of the heaviest they have ever measured.

The contest was inspired by Alaska’s Fat Bear Week and serves to highlight the importance of marmots gaining significant weight to survive long winter hibernation. The competition also functions as a fundraising tool for the RMBL Marmot Project, a research initiative dating back to 1962 that has faced challenges due to federal science funding cuts.

To support the project, researchers launched an OnlyFans account called ‘OnlyMarms’ featuring videos and photos of the animals. This unconventional fundraising effort, combined with outside donations and a marmot-themed cryptocurrency, has raised more than $100,000. Organizers have indicated that the contest will return in 2027.