UAV Imagery of Marmot Burrows in Colorado

UAV flights were conducted between August 26, 2024, and September 1, 2024, at and around the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in the East River Valley, Gothic, Colorado, USA (38°57′ N, 106°59′ W; approximately 2900 m elevation). The study area included marmot colonies located in two core zones, categorized as “higher elevation” and “lower elevation” sites. Marmots were actively foraging on natural vegetation, a behavior that continues until mid-September/early-October when they retreat to their hibernacula until the following mid-April or early May.Imagery was collected using a DJI Air 2S equipped with a 1-inch CMOS image sensor, capable of capturing high-resolution images with a 20 MP resolution. The camera has a pixel size of 2.4 µm and a focal length of 8.38 mm, ensuring detailed spatial resolution suitable for ecological applications. Images were captured at a native resolution of 5472 × 3648 pixels.UAV flights were conducted at altitudes ranging from 10 m to 120 m above ground level, with images systematically captured at 10 m intervals.