Alpine marmots are thought to be herbivores but to be selective regarding food choice with focus on plant material rich in proteins and fatty acids. Carnivorism has been occasionally observed in Alpine marmots in captivity as well as in the wild but has been considered rare and opportunistic. Here we report additional cases from zoos and the wild which indicate that Alpine marmots not only readily accept meat as food but are also capable of actively preying on vertebrates. We speculate that the intake of protein and fatty acids from animal tissues, whenever occasions arise, may have a nutritional value and could thus be adaptive for Alpine marmots.

高山土拨鼠被认为是草食性动物，但在食物选择上具有选择性，着眼于富含蛋白质和脂肪酸的植物材料。肉食性在人工饲养的高山土拨鼠中以及在野外偶尔都被观察到，但被认为是罕见的并且是机会主义的。在这里，我们报道了动物园和野外的其他案例，这些案例表明高山土拨鼠不仅容易接受肉类作为食物，而且还能够主动捕食脊椎动物。我们推测，无论何时出现的情况，从动物组织中摄入蛋白质和脂肪酸都可能具有营养价值，因此可能适合高山土拨鼠。