Two Lost Marmots Found in San Francisco After Wild Road Trips

Imagine living your entire life in the mountains and suddenly waking up in downtown San Francisco.

That's exactly what happened to two yellow-bellied marmots who recently turned up in the Bay Area, leaving wildlife rescuers scratching their heads. The first furry stowaway appeared on September 5 in the city's Mission District, prompting confused residents to call animal control.

"When the first marmot came in, we couldn't believe our eyes," says Rae Paoletta from Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Rescue. "A marmot in the middle of San Francisco is not something you expect to see."

The mystery deepened when a second marmot popped up 45 miles away in Antioch, spotted hanging around a construction site. Both animals are physically fine but clearly confused about their unexpected city adventure.

These hefty rodents, which can weigh up to 11 pounds and stretch over two feet long, normally live high in the Sierra Nevada mountains. They spend their summers munching wildflowers and fattening up before hibernating underground for eight months.

So how did they end up at sea level? The rescue suspects the marmots climbed into car undercarriages and drank radiator fluid, which contains a substance they crave but makes them sick and drowsy. They likely passed out and woke up hours later in a strange urban landscape.

"They're pretty lost," says Lila Travis, the rescue's founder. "They're used to living in interconnected colonies, and suddenly they're alone in a busy urban environment."

The Bright Side

This odd case has a silver lining beyond just reuniting lost animals with their homes. The incident is raising awareness about a simple way drivers can protect both wildlife and their vehicles when traveling through mountain areas.

Marmots are notorious for chewing through radiator hoses and car wiring while seeking antifreeze. The National Park Service now recommends washing your vehicle thoroughly before mountain trips and checking under the hood before driving away. Some visitors even wrap their entire cars in tarps to keep the curious critters out.

Wildlife officials are now investigating where these two travelers originated, possibly from someone returning from Burning Man or visiting Lake Tahoe. If they can't pinpoint the exact location, they'll release the marmots at Tahoe Wildlife Center, which can find suitable alpine habitat for them.

The rescue hopes these hitchhikers remind mountain visitors to look before they drive, ensuring no unsuspecting wildlife ends up on an unplanned road trip.