Olympic National Park

Funds help Olympic National Park keep animal watch

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July 28, 2009, 2:27 pm
A new citizen scientist program will recruit volunteers to hike, camp and observe marmots in Olympic National Park next year.

The program, funded with $26,300 from Washington's National Park fund, will help scientists know why the animals are seeing a population decline, Eleanor B. Kittelson, the fund's executive director, told the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce at its Monday luncheon.

"It will be a great experience for people who want to go up into the mountains, hike a little, camp a little and hang out with the cute marmots," Kittelson said.

The park will begin recruiting helpers next year, she said.

The funds are among a host of others that the group gives to the park on an annual basis.

In 2009, a total of $32,000 was given to the park to study and protect Roosevelt elk.

"The elk were collared, and this will allow the biologists to learn more about the populations," Kittelson said.

About $40,000 was granted to help restore fishers to Olympic National Park, and another $40,000 is being raised to study the freshwater mussels in Lake Crescent, she said.