A marmot has been discovered in San Francisco, well outside the high-altitude habitat where the species usually lives, UPI reported.
Wildlife rescuers think the large rodent may have arrived as an unintended passenger after crawling into a vehicle's undercarriage, consuming radiator fluid, and passing out, only to later find itself potentially hundreds of miles from home.
Here's what to know
Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Rescue is investigating the marmot's origins after it was discovered in a backyard in San Francisco's Mission District, according to UPI. The wildlife-rescue group suspects the animal was transported to San Francisco from the Sierra Nevada mountains, which are just a few hours' drive from the city by the bay.
"Marmots are famous for climbing inside car undercarriages, drinking radiator fluid, passing out and waking up in far away weird places like San Francisco," the rescue group said in a social media post, as quoted by UPI.
Because marmots typically call alpine zones home, rescuers are trying to locate anyone in the area who recently drove back from Lake Tahoe, the high Sierras, or Burning Man. Unknown to the driver, they might have been hauling an extra passenger back to the city.
Identifying the marmot's original location would let the rescue team return the animal to its native surroundings.
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More background
Speaking with local public broadcasting station KQED, Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Rescue founder and director Lila Travis said marmots are drawn to the smell of radiator fluid.
"They have a missing electrolyte that they think is going to be satisfied by this radiator fluid, but it's not," Travis told KQED. "It just makes them sick. And they will sometimes be transported to strange places because of the car being driven off."
What's being done?
To return the marmot to its home, rescue staffers are trying to retrace its travel history. Travis said they are looking for a person who came back from an alpine, marmot-friendly habitat and may unwittingly have the clue rescuers have been searching for.
"We're looking for someone who might recently have spent time in the alpine high Sierras -- in marmot territory -- and unwittingly brought this guy down. We just want to know where he came from originally, so that we can take him back to his family," Travis said.
Where can I learn more?
The San Francisco marmot is an odd case, but it's hardly the only time a wild animal has mysteriously shown up somewhere unexpected. Similar stories have played out in homes and around city infrastructure that can push animals into unfamiliar territory.
• In Colorado, police rescued a friendly marmot found clinging inside a truck after a 280-mile ride.
• In Washington, a marmot chewed holes through a roof and broke into an attic.
• In Los Angeles, a mountain lion inspired a major wildlife crossing after roads trapped the population.
• In Napanee, Ontario, residents reported uncanny encounters with a massive creature in their yards.
• In an Indian urban area, residents caught sight of a feline predator before it vanished in daylight.
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