The story behind the symbol: the marmot

The story behind the symbol: the marmot

marmot1How in the world did the fuzzy, furry Olympic marmot become a symbol of Washington State?

It all happened this year, when the Legislature  passed Senate Bill 5071 declaring the Olympic marmot as the state’s endemic mammal. Gov. Gregoire signed the bill into law on May 12. It takes effect July 26.

The idea for making the Olympic marmot a state symbol came from students at Wedgwood Elementary School in Seattle. The students suggested it to Sen. Ken Jacobsen, who represents Seattle’s 46th District. Jacobsen introduced the bill just before the 2009 session began. It was a cool lesson in democracy for the Wedgwood students. A group of them testified in favor of the bill when it received a public hearing in the Senate Natural Resources, Ocean and Recreation Committee. Many of the students were on hand when the governor signed the bill into law.   

Only 800 Olympic marmots are believed to be in existence. They are located on the Olympic Peninsula, mostly on Hurricane Ridge. They spend summer days sunbathing on rocks before returning to their burrows in the evening.  They hibernate most of the year. 

There are replicas of a female Olympic marmot and her baby in the front lobby of our Office in the Legislative Building. No names have been chosen for the marmot mom. What do you think the office marmot’s name should be?

[poll id=”4″]

Click here to see a full list of our state symbols.

18 thoughts on “The story behind the symbol: the marmot”

  2. Please name the marmot “Trask”. All the other names are insults in the marmot speak. Please don’t embarrass this poor rodent. Also, if the state would like to hire me to run around the state in a marmot suit, then I would like to offer my services.

  4. I could like totally get behind “Trask”. It was an early Pacific NW and historically important name, much like Cesar Chavez is today.

    Awesome.

  5. We must uphold the dignity of the marmot & motherhood. “Jenny” historically personifies both qualities. “Trask” is a mountain man who is famous for eating marmots.

  6. I would totally support naming the marmot Trask. Marmots are furry ground pigs, so it’s totally appropriate.

  8. Marmie the Marmot works for me. It’s an affectionate term for mother, I believe, and since we are naming a mommie marmot, why not? Perhaps the next Trask will think twice about stewing one.

  9. Having done a little hiking in the Olympics as a child I recall something about marmots that no one seems to have considered. They communicate by whistling to one another. Therefore the younger Marmot should be called “Whistler” and therefore his mother will be “Whistler’s Mother”. Seems appropriate don’t you think?

  10. Trask just sounds like a marmot. I was raised by the tribe of marmots you’ll find up in the top of the Quilcene River. Thats Marmot Pass up there. I would say the thing that I take away from that experience was that Marmots secrete their urine through their skin. I could never get used to that.

    Anyway, my humble suggestion is for Trask, the Olympic Marmot. Hopefully we won’t be sued by the Olympic Committee when they visit Vancouver CA.

  13. If you listen to a marmot’s whistle, it sounds kinda like “TRAAAAAAAAAASK”!

    Therefore, the marmot should be named trask.

    Also, trask means marmot in Gaelic.

  16. What about “OM” (a mantra for Olympic marmot) which has symbolism…such as contemplating ultimate reality; only about 800 Olympic marmots are believed to exist, they live mostly at Hurricane Ridge (a very spiritual place indeed) and their population is declining. When marmots lay out in the sun viewing their majestic surroundings, they have a contemplative manner. Also, a female Olympic marmot and her baby….. “OM” says it all.

  17. I’ll second “Trask”, out of all of the names select, it has to be the most unique name.

  18. While I was drawn to Marilyn Marmot for the obvious cute factor, I just have to stick with Trask, with its rich historic and cultural associations.

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