Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory launches OnlyFans to fund marmot research

Researchers at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory near Crested Butte, Colorado, have studied yellow‑belly marmots (Marmota flaviventer) since 1962. Facing severe federal funding cuts, the team created an OnlyFans account called “OnlyMarms” to raise money for the long‑term wildlife study. The account, announced on Instagram, offers free, G‑rated videos of marmots playing, digging and interacting, and invites viewers to leave optional tips. UCLA professor of ecology and evolutionary biology Daniel Blumstein leads the project and described the effort as a response to a "challenging funding environment." While the researchers hope tips will help cover supplies and fieldwork costs, they acknowledge that the platform is unlikely to replace the lost federal support.