Wildlife Officials Trying to Rescue Marmot in San Francisco

Wildlife rescuers from San Rafael are spending this afternoon trying to capture a marmot that was spotted in the backyard of a home in San Francisco's Bernal Heights neighborhood.

A resident called WildCare, the wildlife rehabilitation center based in San Rafael, to report seeing the marmot in the yard this morning.

The call was forwarded to members of Wildlife Emergency Services, based in Moss Landing, who were on scene this afternoon trying to coax the marmot from underneath a shed, said Rebecca Dmytryk, an animal expert with the organization.

Dmytryk said she believes the animal made its way to Bernal Heights by hitching a ride on the undercarriage of a truck or car on the drive from the Sierras or other mountainous location and has likely been in San Francisco for about a week.

She cited a phenomenon in which marmots get into automobile engines and chew through the engine hoses to drink antifreeze.

Marmots are not from the Bay Area, and typically live in colder climates at elevations of 5,000 feet or higher, she said.

In addition to capturing the marmot, WES is attempting to learn where the animal came from.

Anyone with information about how the marmot came to San Francisco or who recently returned to the city from the mountains is asked to call WES at (866) 945-3911.

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