The yellow-bellied marmot has long been an endearing mascot of Crow Canyon Archaeological Center in Cortez.

A wild colony resides in rock terraces around campus, and their furry, cute presence is cherished by staff, students and visitors.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Crow Canyon on Wednesday launched Marmot Cam to share their day-to-day antics, which include munching on vegetation, chirping at outdoor classes, sunbathing on rocks and romping along the grassy knoll of a pond.

Marmot Cam, along with new weekly webinars and online learning programs, are part of an effort to engage the public with the center’s educational programs, especially since gatherings have been restricted during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We knew it was important to develop different and creative ways to engage the community,” said Sarah Payne, chief outreach officer for Crow Canyon. “The webinars are very informative, and marmots are so well loved by children and adults alike.”

The campus hosts educational and outdoor learning programs that focus on anthropology, archaeology, history, Native American Tribes and the environment.

The new webinars are held on the Crow Canyon Facebook page every Thursday at 4 p.m. They feature a variety of topics, from flint knapping and lectures to updates on local archaeological projects and Southwest arts.

“When it became clear to us that this year was going to be different than a typical year on campus, we adjusted our course to work on projects that helped us bring Crow Canyon to our supporters since they can’t make it here in person” said Liz Perry, Crow Canyon’s president and CEO.

Showcasing the marmots, also known as “whistle pigs,” was the perfect opportunity to highlight the school’s focus on nature as well.

“We wanted to find a way to bring a component of our beautiful campus to the world, and featuring our beloved marmots was a way to make the magic happen,” Payne said.

For decades, the marmot colony of 12 to 20 animals has thrived on the campus, which is at a lower elevation than the animals’ more common mountain habitat.

Marmots hibernate in winter and emerge in spring to feed in meadows, always wary of local predators such as eagles, coyotes and mountain lions.

“They have become a little accustomed to people and are quite photogenic and musical. They let us know when they are out and about,” Payne said. “They fit in well with our outdoor classes. With all of us working from home, the joke is that the marmots have taken over campus!”

The unofficial mascots have carried a variety of inventive names, including Mason, Jorah Marmot, and Machu Pikachu.

The next three webinars at Crow Canyon are:

April 23, 4 p.m.: “Toward a Science of ArchaeoEcology: Placing Humans into Food Webs” by Dr. Stefani Crabtree.April 28, 4 p.m.: “Southwest Indian Arts: Origins and Revivals” with Emerald Tanner.April 30, 4 p.m.: “Discover Archaeology: The T-door is an Enigma” with Dr. Steve Lekson.jmimiaga@the-journal.com