It was a banner year for the Vancouver Island Marmot.

There were more marmots recorded in the wild than at any time since their population started being tracked in the 1980s.

The wild marmot population is mainly centered around two areas, Strathcona Park and Nanaimo Lakes.

The Marmot Recovery foundation is a non profit founded in 1999 with the goal of restoring the wild population of the Vancouver Island Marmot, their work includes captive breeding programs and habitat restoration efforts.

The organization’s executive director and head veterinarian joined Midcoast Morning to break down the latest on B.C.’s only endemic mammal species.