Marmots discovered in Bay Area after hitching rides from mountains

Two yellow-bellied marmots have been discovered in the Bay Area, far from their natural mountain habitats. The first marmot was found in San Francisco’s Mission District on September 4, and a second was spotted at a job site in Antioch on September 10.

Rescuers from Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Rescue believe the animals may have hitched rides on vehicles traveling from mountainous regions like the Sierra Nevada or Lake Tahoe. Experts suggest the rodents may crawl into vehicles to consume radiator fluid due to an electrolyte deficiency, which can cause them to lose consciousness and wake up hundreds of miles away.

Both animals are currently in recovery at a wildlife center. Rescuers are using social media to ask residents who recently traveled from mountainous areas to contact them, in hopes of identifying the marmots' original habitats to facilitate their return to the wild.