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4h ago

Marmot Researchers Turn to OnlyFans After Federal Grants Dry Up

The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory has launched a subscription page and small fundraisers to keep a 65-year marmot study running as NSF support has been cut.

This summer, the lab is hosting its first Fat Marmot Week, where the public can vote on the chunkiest rodent.
Researchers have been studying generations of these ground mammals for decades.
The research team shares photos and videos of marmots on OnlyFans to educate viewers about their behaviors.
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Overview

  • The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory created an OnlyFans account called OnlyMarms in July 2026 to solicit tips and subscriptions after repeated grant denials from the National Science Foundation.
  • Project leader Daniel Blumstein says NSF refused to renew the long-term grant after multiple attempts and told the team to stop reapplying, leaving the study to run on saved reserves and small donations.
  • Graduate student Emily Renke manages the OnlyMarms page and posts mainly G-rated photos and videos of yellow-bellied marmots to engage the public and educate followers.
  • So far the OnlyFans account has raised only a few hundred dollars, and the lab is supplementing that with local fundraisers such as a branded ‘Marmot Tears’ IPA and a public Fat Marmot Week contest.
  • Scientists warn that losing steady federal funding threatens the continuity of the marmot project’s multi-generation data, which researchers say is crucial for studies of behavior, evolution, and climate response.