The himalayan Marmot
Marmots are a group of large ground squirrels. There are 14 species in the genus Marmota. Of these, the Himalayan marmots ( Marmota himalayana) are found in the Ladakh region of the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir.
The size of an adult animal is about the same as of a house cat. They have a golden-brown coat, with a lighter shade on face & belly. They live in burrows in large colonies. They eat grass & shrubs available in the locality.
They are frequently seen sitting upright with two front limbs in front of the chest, a funny posture indeed.
Usually not afraid of humans, they are frequently seen to come near the human presence to look for food.
During my recent trip in Ladakh, I’ve seen a few of these peculiar rodents at an altitude of fourteen thousand feet , & was able to photograph them.