OnlyMarms OnlyFans page puts Colorado marmots to work for science
Colorado marmot researchers are using a G-rated OnlyFans page to help replace lost federal grant money and keep a decades-old study alive.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
A long-running Colorado marmot project has opened an OnlyMarms OnlyFans account, turning wild yellow-bellied marmots into unlikely fundraisers after federal research money dried up.
Daniel Blumstein, a professor in UCLA’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, leads the marmot research program at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory. United Press International reported that the program has been operating since 1962 and is now at risk after research grants were canceled last year by President Donald Trump’s administration.
The team’s new page, called “OnlyMarms,” offers daily photos and videos of wild marmots in the Rockies. Viewers can also leave tips, with the money going toward the continuing research effort, according to UPI.
What is OnlyMarms on OnlyFans?
OnlyMarms is an OnlyFans page created for a Colorado marmot research program, featuring nonsexual photos and videos of wild marmots. Its stated purpose is to bring in public support for scientific work that has lost grant funding.
Blumstein told The New York Times the account will stay family-friendly. “It’s going to be G-rated, and we’re not going to sexualize this,” he said. “We’re just going to have fun with sharing.”
The page promises “Unfiltered yellow-bellied marmot content from the Rockies,” according to UPI. It was created and is run by Emily Renkey, a first-year master’s student who has worked with the marmot program since 2022.
Renkey told SFGate she balances the cute stuff with the science. “Sometimes I’m just posting the videos I think will get the most ‘awws,’” she said. “But my favorite is when I find footage of a particular behavior and I can use that to educate people.”
She also pushed back on the idea that researchers should avoid playful public outreach. “I don’t know if I agree with the idea that scientists shouldn’t have to be opportunistic and creative,” Renkey told SFGate. “I think that’s a lot of what science and research is.”
The OnlyFans page is one piece of a wider fundraising scramble. UPI reported that the program also helped launch Marmot Tears IPA in early July, a beer brewed by Irwin Brewing Co. in Crested Butte.
Next up is Fat Marmot Week, an August event inspired by Katmai National Park’s Fat Bear Week, according to UPI. Blumstein said the team is also still seeking traditional funding.
This story draws on original reporting from UPI.