Re: A question about 'Oscar' . . .

I hope this helps Russo. Oscar was likely a Yellow Bellied Marmot (Marmota flaviventris). Ground Hogs, Woodchucks are (Marmota monax). Their ranges do not overlap. GH /WC are eastern US species. YB marmots are generally a Rocky Mountain and Sierra/Cascade species. Hoary Marmots (Marmota caligata) inhabits the mountains of northwest North America. Yellow Bellied and Hoary Marmots share names such as Rock Chucks or Whistler. All of the Marmota share the Whistle-pig nick-name. Easterners and Mid-Westerners seam to want to call all the Marmots either Ground Hogs or Woodchucks unless they have a mammalology, Wild-life Biology or other biological background. I could get more specific (sub-species) and there are more local nick-names for Marmots, b ut why confuse things further. They are what you call them. Some thing like Del Norte (Del Nortay or Del Nort)?

Alan B