Overview
- The Blumstein Lab launched an OnlyFans account called OnlyMarms in late May to share G-rated field footage of yellow‑bellied marmots and solicit tips and donations.
- The account has drawn roughly 1,700 subscribers and about $5,000 in gross tips, leaving the team with roughly $4,000 after platform cuts and before taxes.
- Project leaders say reduced federal and university funding for graduate students prompted the move and warn that loss of sustained graduate support would break the continuity of the decades‑long dataset.
- The online attention produced unpredictable revenue streams, including fan‑created Solana meme coins and a brewery partnership, which have generated some donations but are volatile and not tied to the research team.
- Researchers frame OnlyMarms as science communication and a temporary stopgap while they pursue traditional grants, public donations through a new UCLA portal, and events such as Fat Marmot Week to broaden support.