Vancouver Island Marmot to be featured on U.S. postal stamp

It's a crossover that may come as a surprise. The Vancouver Island Marmot is among the lineup of new stamps being printed by the U.S. Postal Service in 2023.

As its namesake suggests, the Vancouver Island Marmot is only found on Vancouver Island, B.C.

The population of the critically endangered rodent dropped to fewer than 30 in the early 2000s, but has since rebounded to more than 250, according to the Marmot Recovery Foundation, which breeds and releases the critically endangered rodents every year.

In late October, the USPS announced a few of its upcoming stamps for 2023, and the Vancouver Island Marmot was among them.

The marmots are part of the U.S. Postal Services' "Endangered Species" series, which includes 20 animals that are on the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

The U.S. Endangered Species Act will mark its 50th anniversary in 2023, and there are now more than 1,300 types of animals and plants included on the list.

While the Vancouver Island Marmot isn't found in the U.S., the USPS notes that the 20 animals in their new stamp series live within the country or "near U.S. borders."

The Marmot Recovery Foundation says that by having the Vancouver Island Marmot included in the U.S. Endangered Species Act, it makes it illegal to trade in the species in that country, whether that be live marmots or their body parts.

The USPS "Endangered Species" series of stamps for 2023 are shown. (United States Postal Service)