Primarily applied to such creatures as the Yellow-Bellied Marmot and Stone Marmot, the term "Marmot" is also used in reference to related animals such as woodchucks and prairie dogs. With their high-pitched squeals at the approach of a possible threat, these skittish critters play an important role in Louis L'Amour's novel, Ride the Dark Trail.

Public domain photo by Jon Sullivan, courtesy of www.public-domain-image.com.