The Alpine marmot is a large, ground-dwelling squirrel that inhabits high-altitude grasslands such as the Alps and the Carpathian Mountains. It lives in family groups in extensive burrows, possesses scent glands in the cheeks and around the anus, and marks the area around its burrow. It feeds on grasses, flowers, mosses, and insects, and when a predator is spotted it alerts companions with warning calls. In autumn it eats heavily to enter hibernation, and breeding begins shortly after waking in spring. Its distribution is wide, and its conservation status is currently assessed as Least Concern.