Matterhorn with Marmot

Around 1,000 marmots live right at the foot of the Matterhorn in the vicinity of Zermatt. They can be seen in particularly large numbers on the Gornergrat ridge, at the Schwarzsee near Findeln, at Hubel and around Furi. Their burrows are clearly visible from the hiking trails. In Zermatt, they say the marmots come out on St Joseph’s Day, i.e. on 19 March. By that time, they are no longer hibernating and begin exploring their environment, waiting for the first spring herbs, grasses and flowers to sprout. In the weeks prior to that, they slowly begin emerging from their cosy, hay-padded nests inside their large network of burrows, gazing out into the glistening spring light. This marks the end of their six-month hibernation period, and the excitement of the warm season ahead breathes new life into them. This is also noticeable in the cute little creatures’ heartbeat. While in winter their body temperature drops to five degrees Celsius and their hearts beat only around 20 times per minute, in summer they race at around 200 beats.