Scientists who dedicate their research to marmots in the mountains of Colorado, in the United States, have found a very unusual way to raise funds to maintain their activities. On July 28, they launched an OnlyFans page called “OnlyMarms”, where they share photos and videos of wild rodents in their natural habitat, seeking financial support through tips from followers. The initiative arose after cuts in federal funding that put a research program more than six decades old at risk.
A long-standing program threatened by funding cuts
The yellow marmot study project, based at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, has a history dating back to 1962, making it one of the longest in the world on wildlife mammals. Daniel Blumstein, professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Los Angeles, leads the research. Last year, however, then-President Donald Trump’s administration canceled several research grants, leaving the program in a precarious financial situation and threatening its continuity. The loss of these resources forced the team to look for creative alternatives to ensure the survival of the study, which generates crucial data on ecology and animal behavior.
OnlyMarms: the unexpected OnlyFans solution
To reverse the lack of funds, Blumstein and his team decided to create “OnlyMarms”. The OnlyFans page offers subscribers access to “G-rated” content, that is, suitable for all audiences, with the daily lives of groundhogs. Master’s student Emily Renkey, who has been part of the program since 2022, is responsible for creating and maintaining the page. She regularly shares images and videos of animals, transforming the platform known for adult content into a space for scientific dissemination and fundraising. Fans can follow the “unfiltered” lives of yellow-bellied marmots in the Rocky Mountains and contribute tips to research.
Transparency and educational purpose behind the platform
The creators of OnlyMarms are clear about the nature of the initiative. Daniel Blumstein stated that the proposal is to keep the content familiar and fun, without any sexual connotations. “It’s going to be G-rated, and we’re not going to sexualize it. We’re just going to have fun sharing it,” Blumstein told The New York Times. Emily Renkey, in turn, defends the choice of the platform as a means of engaging the public and educating. She revealed that although she sometimes posts videos that she finds cute, she prefers to use the images to demonstrate specific behaviors and teach people about groundhogs.
Creativity as a driver of science
Emily Renkey has also argued that the search for unconventional methods to fund research is inherent in the nature of science. For her, being “opportunistic and creative” is part of the scientific and research process. The student recognizes that engaging the public in this way can be intimidating, but questions the purpose of the work if it is not to “help humanity advance.” The decision reflects a growing trend of scientists seeking innovative ways to sustain important projects in the face of an unstable funding landscape.
Other fundraising initiatives
In addition to OnlyMarms, the groundhog research program is exploring other strategies to raise the necessary resources. These initiatives seek to diversify sources of support and reach different audiences.
- Launch of the “Marmot Tears IPA” beer:In early July, Crested Butte’s Irwin Brewing Co. released a craft beer in partnership with the project, with a portion of sales going toward research.
- “Fat Marmot Week” Event:Inspired by Katmai National Park’s famous “Fat Bear Week,” a similar event will be held in August, encouraging popular voting for the “hardest” marmots to celebrate the animals’ health and raise funds.
These actions demonstrate the continued effort of researchers to ensure the longevity of a study that has contributed significantly to the understanding of wildlife and ecosystems.
