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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Thomas Edison s bright idea
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Przewalskis horses, Hustai National Park, Mongolia
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April Fools Day
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Instant romance
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The wild heart of Tasmania
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Astronomy Day
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Haaga Rhododendron Park
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We did not invent this, honest
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And the skies filled with bats…
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On the lookout for Sheep-Cote Clod
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Goðafoss waterfall, Iceland
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Panda Day
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The ‘Living Forest’ in Biscay, Spain
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Wild lupines
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What, no escalator?
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Bridge of Hillsborough County
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Embracing the cold
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A toast to California!
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Think deep thoughts
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Innerdalsvatna Lake, near Ålvundeidet, Norway
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Does it swim in slow motion too?
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Polar Bear Week
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Bryce Canyon National Park turns 100
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Let s crack the code
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Blackbird in Essex, England
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What happened to these clouds?
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The forecast calls for blooms
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National Lighthouse Day
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Lanterns alight in Pingxi
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Preveli Gorge