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Marmot Researchers Launch OnlyFans to Fund Long‑Running Study

Seeking small public tips to cover basic operating costs, the campaign exposes strain on decades‑long ecological research funding.

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 OnlyMarms OnlyFans page went public in late July 2026 and is curated by first‑year master’s student Emily Renke, who posts near‑daily G‑rated marmot photos and videos.
  • Project leader Daniel Blumstein says repeated NSF renewal denials pushed the team to pursue unorthodox fundraising after federal support declined.
  • OnlyMarms offers free subscriptions and asks for voluntary tips, but it has raised only a few hundred dollars so far and platform fees of about 20 percent plus taxes further reduce proceeds.
  • The lab has also released a branded beer called Marmot Tears IPA and plans a public Fat Marmot Week in August while continuing traditional grant applications.
  • The marmot project’s 60+ year dataset informs climate and behavioral science, and researchers warn that small, public‑facing drives cannot replace sustained federal funding needed to pay staff, lab fees, and graduate students.