Marmot discovered inside a Yosemite tourist's car.
Marmot discovered inside a Yosemite tourist's car.

A resident of Pollock Pines, California, was shocked to find a marmot inside her vehicle after a visit to Yosemite National Park. Phoebe Stokes drove three hours with the hitchhiking marmot stuck in her hood and didn’t discover it until the following day.

Firefighters with El Dorado County Fire Protection District, with assistance from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Sierra Wildlife Rescue, worked to safely remove the marmot from the car’s engine block. It apparently took several hours, with crews having to open up the vehicle and engine compartment area to extract the rodent. According to Stokes, wildlife officials plan to return the animal back to the spot where she was parked inside Yosemite.

Marmots are known to find their way inside vehicles, attracted by the smell of engine components & fluids and occasionally snacking on radiator hoses and wiring. This has given them a reputation for being quite destructive when it comes to vehicles, and long trips as stowaways in park visitors’ cars aren’t unheard of.

Some parking areas, like Sequoia National Park’s Mineral King, have specific recommendations when it comes to leaving your car behind. Previously they’ve recommended wrapping cars in chicken wire, but visitors are now encouraged to take it a step further.

Physically block marmots by driving over a tarp and then wrapping it around your entire vehicle. Cover the wheel wells. Wrapping chicken wire around the vehicle is no longer advised, as marmots have learned to get around the wire.

If you’re headed into the mountains, make sure you’re aware of where marmots might be, and whether or not you need to wrap your car. Marmots live across a majority of the mountainous west, so don’t think you’re safe just because you don’t live in California.

Marmot Vehicle Protection Guidelines:

How can you protect your vehicle and marmots?

Wash the outside, undercarriage, and engine compartment of your vehicle before visiting.

Physically block marmots by driving over a tarp and then wrapping it around your entire vehicle. Cover the wheel wells. Wrapping chicken wire around the vehicle is no longer advised, as marmots have learned to get around the wire.

Use only non-toxic methods to prevent marmots from accessing your vehicle. Do not use any poison or substance that pose a risk to the environment, human or animal health, safety or property.

If you visit Mineral King, especially before August, check for possible damage when you return to your vehicle. Before starting your car, look under the hood for marmots or signs of chewing. Check hoses, belts, electrical wiring, insulation, and radiator fluid level. Inspect under the vehicle for signs of coolant or brake fluid leakage.

Turn key to “on”, but do not start your vehicle. Check that all indicator lights come on. If lights don’t come on, wiring may have been damaged.

Start the engine and listen for unusual sounds.

Report any damage to your vehicle.

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