Are these two alpine marmots waiting to hear news of spring from their distant American relative, the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil? Truth be told, here in the snowy Eastern Alps of Austria, most marmots will likely sleep through Groundhog Day, which is celebrated in the United States and Canada each year on February 2. Alpine marmots hibernate for up to nine months a year in underground burrows, relying on fat reserves to stay alive. During this time, their heart rate lowers to 5 beats per minute and they breathe just 1 to 3 times per minute. Sleep well, little friends.
Alpine marmots at Hohe Tauern National Park, Austria
Today in History
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Sweet! It’s maple syrup season
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Where do those colors come from?
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Castle Day in Japan
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Go with the rainbow flow
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Icelandic horses, Iceland
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Peel Castle on St. Patrick’s Isle with the Isle of Man in the background
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Decorating for Diwali
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Hey, you two in the front!
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The smoke before the bonfire
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Let the games begin
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A festival of colors
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Desert rose of Qatar
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Honoring our fallen heroes
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Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico
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50 years of World Heritage Sites
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Pandas pucker up for International Kissing Day
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‘The mountains are calling’
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Sleep tight, little hedgehog
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A unique perspective from Italy’s ‘golden sands’
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A peek at an explosive peak
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Ancient groves in Australia
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Saguaro cacti, Ironwood Forest National Monument, Arizona
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Sharp-dressed bug
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A stroll above the stratosphere
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World Art Day
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A polar bear near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada
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It s Mountain Day in Japan
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Gauchos showcase Argentina’s independent spirit
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Keep calm and drive on (slowly)
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Innerdalsvatna Lake, near Ålvundeidet, Norway